RENEWABLE energy systems can be tested in a new online energy training laboratory opened by Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).

The online laboratory, which GMIT describes as “unique”, is geared towards upskilling, training and research to meet Government policy on reducing carbon emissions and developing Ireland as a “green energy economy”.

“Accessing indigenous sources of non-fossil fuel based energy is critical for Ireland’s competitiveness,” said Dr Tom Roche, the lab’s designer and head of GMIT’s mechanical and industrial engineering department.

“One of the challenges of the future is ensuring the correct design, installation and operation of renewable energy systems.”

Dr Roche said Ireland’s engineering undergraduate and post-graduate students could be trained in the lab on system design, while people already working in construction and new energy industries, from plumbers and electricians to architects and engineers, could also upskill.

“This links research to continuing professional development in this area,” Dr Roche added.

“The lab has an indoor and outdoor dimension, which includes solar panels, wind turbines and performance of heat pumps in a green energy building – GMIT’s innovation in business centre.”

“It allows for testing plants in Irish rather than European temperatures and environmental conditions by correlating performance against weather data onsite.

“As the systems are fully monitored, the impact of poor installation or design can be immediately demonstrated to students who are either online or are physically in the laboratory.”

The systems include solar (thermal, photovoltaic); biomass/biofuel systems; geothermal heat pumps; air source heat pumps; wind turbines (pending planning) and heat recovery systems.

These are integrated into an energy dissipation platform which allows trainees to model the efficiencies under varying loading conditions (energy demand).

A network of more than 250 sensors monitor and record performance. The laboratory is the culmination of two years work by GMIT’s mechanical and industrial engineering department.