• Question: Do you make things energy efficint!! :)

    Asked by Rachel Scarry to Ashley, Catherine, John G, Laura, Ray on 10 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: John Ging

      John Ging answered on 10 Nov 2014:

      Sometimes. Energy efficiency isn’t the only focus. Smart use of what’s available is more important.
      For example you can have a very efficient lighting system but if its on all day, it could cost a lot to run. If you have a less efficient bulb but its only one for 5 minutes, it might cost less to run and last longer!

    • Photo: Catherine Conaghan

      Catherine Conaghan answered on 10 Nov 2014:

      Similar to John, we look at making buildings more energy efficient, but also Smarter! For example, it’s more expensive to run a washing machine for 1 hour during the day, compared to 1 hour at night-time

    • Photo: Laura Tobin

      Laura Tobin answered on 10 Nov 2014:

      I do. I make my solar cells more efficient. I make them, test them, change one part of the cell (the dye, the light intensity, the materials, the temperature) and I record the readings. If they get better I change another part and slowly I find out what makes my solar cell better and what makes it worse. It’s like doing a jigsaw, I slowly try all the pieces until one part fits.

      The other side of my research involves working with LED lights. These are already energy efficient, so I work with them to make them smarter. That means making them automated and artificially intelligent, such as lights in a room might have a sensor near the window. If it’s a sunny day, the lights closest to the window will dim. There’s no need for it to be on full blast when there’s a lot of sunlight. That’s just one way

    • Photo: Ray Alcorn

      Ray Alcorn answered on 11 Nov 2014:

      Yes efficiency is very important in Ocean energy but the balance of efficiency, capital costs and operational cost all have to be considered. Energy efficient lightbulbs cost more than conventional light bulbs but they are cheaper to run. At some point the efficient one will be overall cheaper.. That’s what we strive for is a total understanding of efficiency both technical and financial

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