Page 7 - Moravian Messenger Dec 2021

Climate Change Renewable Energy and Stewardship of God's Creation
With the recent huge publicity of COP26 climate change change and green energy are on on everyone's radar Climate change change is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a reality for for the the the whole world and almost all scientists agree that now is is is is is the the the the time to act before the the the the impending crisis becomes insurmountable Climate change is is is is is the the the result of of global warming which in in in in in turn is is caused by huge quantities of of greenhouse gases such as as as carbon carbon dioxide CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere All combustion processes involving carbon-based fuels (petrol diesel coal etc) release CO2 CO2 and if the the the fuel fuel is is fossil based based then this this adds to to to the the the CO2 CO2 accumulating in in our atmosphere So to to to tackle this this problem we we should all try to to to move away from use use of fossil fuels and use use renewable sources energy As Christians we we should be be mindful of of the the the teaching of of the the the Bible which reminds us in in in in both the the the the the Old Testament Testament (Genesis 1:26-28 Number 35:33 Ezekiel 34:18) and the the the New Testaments (Matthew 25: 14-30 1 1 1 1 1 1 Corinthians 4:2 Revelation 11:18) that we are chosen as stewards of God's beautiful creation and this means looking after the environment So what can we we all all do individually to help reduce reduce carbon emissions: well reduce reduce consumption of everything Carbon emissions emissions are almost almost entirely due to energy generation in in in in in transport electricity heating and manufacturing in in in in in in fact fact almost almost everything we do do or or or consume involves energy So use less less fuel in in in in in in your your car car waste less less food turn down your your heating or or take the the bus bus once a a a a a a a a a a a a week instead of the car car Locally businesses and councils can take more more more responsible attitudes to energy with more more more efficient buildings and enabling more more more public transport On the larger stage governments need to to enact policies to to encourage more use of of renewable resources such as wind solar and and biofuels As an an an engineer engineer I see that scientists and and engineers have have a a a a a a a a a a a lot to to offer by developing new environmentally friendly technologies and this is is the area where I have have chosen to to contribute I I have worked my whole career in in both industry and and university to improve energy efficiency and and reduce harmful emissions In the past 20 years I have been working with Wrightbus in in Ballymena to to develop more energy efficient solutions for public transport A few years ago hybrid technology appeared to to be the the optimal solution and was applied in in in in buses buses such the the New Routemaster buses buses in in in in in London enabling a a a a a a a a a 40% reduction reduction in in in in in fuel consumption with with a a a a a a a similar reduction reduction in in in in CO2 Now technology has moved on on on on on with with fully electric and hydrogen fuelled buses having developed as as the the the future of of bus bus transportation You will see many more of of these on on on on on our city streets all across the the the UK with not only London but also cities such as as Manchester Birmingham Edinburgh and Belfast all employing this new low- emissions technology The electric electric vehicle vehicle (EV) technology is fairly intuitive where a a a a a large battery pack drives electric electric motors to to propel the vehicle vehicle This concept is is very efficient as regenerative braking can be used to recover energy energy and recharge the the batteries instead of using conventional brakes where the the energy energy is wasted as as heat Photo by Felix Mittermeier from PxHere
Not so simple in in in in practice where the battery pack is huge weighing in in in in about about six ton and storing enough electrical power power power to to to power power power power your home for about about four months Hydrogen powered buses are are very similar with with the the same electrical powertrain but some of the the batteries are are replaced with with a a a a a a a a a a a hydrogen hydrogen fuel-cell fuel-cell fuel-cell a a a a a a a a a a a fuel-cell fuel-cell fuel-cell EV EV (FCEV) The fuel-cell fuel-cell fuel-cell converts hydrogen hydrogen hydrogen gas directly to electrical electrical power power by reacting the the the hydrogen hydrogen fuel fuel fuel with oxygen from the the the the the air This This electrical electrical power power charges the the the the the batteries which then drive the the the the the the wheels through electric electric motors This This FCEV is is is a a a a a a a a a fuel-cell hybrid hybrid rather like a a a a a a a a a self-charging hybrid hybrid such as the the the the the Toyota Prius but with no emissions at at at the the the vehicle: well actually just water These buses the the the the EV EV and and the the the the FCEV have the the the the big advantage of zero emissions at the the the the vehicle vehicle and and and so are good for air quality in in inner cities with high vehicle vehicle density and and lots of of people However there are some major impediments to to use use of of of these buses to to deliver real zero-emissions Infrastructure availability of of of renewable electrical power power production of of of green hydrogen hydrogen and transport of of hydrogen hydrogen are all issues limiting use The power power power grid is is is currently not able able to to deliver the the power power power required for charging and renewable power power generation is is rather too intermittent For the the the FCEVs the the the fuel fuel tanks must be filled with hydrogen at at at at high pressure of 350 atmospheres and fuelling infrastructure is is not yet widely available To be genuinely zero-emissions these buses must use use renewable renewable power or green hydrogen (produced from renewable renewable energy) and this is is only being developed now So expect to see a a a a a a a a a gradual rollout of these buses over the the the the next ten years as the the the the power and fuelling delivery catches up with the the the the vehicle technology Having recently retired from from Queen's University I I have have now moved moved on on on from from from the world of buses but I I have have not moved moved away from from developing new new solutions to environmental problems A few years ago we jointly founded a a a a a a a a a a new new company Catagen with the the expressed mission to 'Clean and Decarbonise the the Air' so this is is is is my new new vocation We have a a a a a a string of new new technologies under development: green hydrogen hydrogen production hydrogen hydrogen infrastructure renewable e-fuels carbon capture and personised emissions data Over the the next year we hope to to to develop these to to to full production status as a a a a a a a a a a a contribution towards a a a a a a a a a a a net-zero economy where there are no no no fossil fuels and no no no new carbon emissions I finish with this thought from 1 Timothy 4:4 'For everything created by God is is is good and nothing is is is to be rejected if it it is is is received with thanksgiving' So as Christians we we must do all we we can to to look after what God has entrusted to to our care Br Roy Douglas
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