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Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have taken a giant stride towards solving a riddle that would provide the world with entirely renewable, clean energy from which water would be the only waste product.

Reducing humanity’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is arguably the greatest challenge facing 21st century civilisation – especially given the ever-increasing global population and the heightened energy demands that come with it.

Use renewable electricity to split water

One beacon of hope is the idea that we could use renewable electricity to split water (H2O) to produce energy-rich hydrogen (H2), which could then be stored and used in fuel cells.

This is an especially interesting prospect in a situation where wind and solar energy sources produce electricity to split water, as this would allow us to store energy for use when those renewable sources are not available.

The essential problem, however, is that water is very stable and requires a great deal of energy to break up. A particularly major hurdle to clear is the energy or 'overpotential' associated with the production of oxygen, which is the bottleneck reaction in splitting water to produce H2.

Although certain elements are effective at splitting water, such as Ruthenium or Iridium (two of the so-called noble metals of the periodic table), these are prohibitively expensive for commercialisation.

Other, cheaper options tend to suffer in terms of their efficiency and/or their robustness. In fact, at present, nobody has discovered catalysts that are cost-effective, highly active and robust for significant periods of time.

So, how do you solve such a riddle? Stop before you imagine lab coats, glasses, beakers and funny smells; this work was done entirely through a computer.

Bringing together chemists and theoretical physicists

By bringing together chemists and theoretical physicists, the Trinity team behind the latest breakthrough combined chemistry smarts with very powerful computers to find one of the “holy grails” of catalysis.

The team, led by Professor Max García-Melchor, made a crucial discovery when investigating molecules which produce oxygen: science had been underestimating the activity of some of the more reactive catalysts and, as a result, the dreaded 'overpotential' hurdle now seems easier to clear.

Furthermore, in refining a long-accepted theoretical model used to predict the efficiency of water splitting catalysts, they have made it immeasurably easier for people (or super-computers) to search for the elusive 'green bullet' catalyst.

Lead author, Michael Craig, TCD, is excited to put this insight to use: "We know what we need to optimise now, so it is just a case of finding the right combinations."

The team aims to now use artificial intelligence to put a large number of earth-abundant metals and ligands (which glue them together to generate the catalysts) in a melting pot before assessing which of the near-infinite combinations yield the greatest promise.

Design of ideal catalysts

In combination, what once looked like an empty canvas now looks more like a paint-by-numbers as the team has established fundamental principles for the design of ideal catalysts.

Professor Max García-Melchor said: "Given the increasingly pressing need to find green energy solutions it is no surprise that scientists have, for some time, been hunting for a magical catalyst that would allow us to split water electrochemically in a cost-effective, reliable way.

"However, it is no exaggeration to say that before now such a hunt was akin to looking for a needle in a haystack.We are not over the finishing line yet, but we have significantly reduced the size of the haystack and we are convinced that artificial intelligence will help us hoover up plenty of the remaining hay.

"This research is hugely exciting for a number of reasons and it would be incredible to play a role in making the world a more sustainable place. Additionally, this shows what can happen when researchers from different disciplines come together to apply their expertise to try to solve a problem that affects each and every one of us."

Prof García-Melchor is an Ussher Assistant Professor in Chemistry at Trinity and senior author on the landmark research that has just been published in a leading international journal, 'Nature Communications'.

Collaborating authors include Gabriel Coulter, formerly of Trinity and now studying for a MSc at the University of Cambridge; Eoin Dolan formerly of Trinity and now completing an Erasmus Mundus joint MSc degree in Paris; Dr Joaquín Soriano-Lòpez, MSCA-Edge fellow in Trinity’s School of Chemistry; Eric Mates, PhD candidate in Trinity’s School of Chemistry and Professor Wolfgang Schmitt from Trinity’s School of Chemistry.

The research has been supported by Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC), where the team is benefiting from 4,500,000 CPU hours at Ireland’s state-of-the-art super-computer facility.

Trinity researchers take giant stride towards entirely renewable energy

Engineers Ireland is highlighting the engineering projects, organisations, third levels and engineering leaders shortlisted for the 10th annual Excellence Awards, held in association with ESB, and here we profile the engineering organisations and third level institutions shortlisted for the Engineering Education Award, sponsored by Accenture.

Innovation and excellence

This award recognises innovation and excellence in Irish engineering education and will be presented to the school of engineering, institution or organisation that has positively impacted student learning coupled with an actual or planned contribution to the economy.

Hilary O’Meara, managing director, resources, Accenture in Ireland, said: “Huge congratulations to all the institutions and organisations shortlisted for the Engineering Education Award. Investing in Ireland’s future engineering talent not only offers a more rewarding student experience but equips students for the future workforce.

"Innovation-led programmes, such as these, are critical to ensuring Ireland remains attractive for business and society as a whole. I am delighted to see academia and engineering organisations collaborating with third level institutions to take a leading role in achieving this.”

The 'Where There is no Engineer' programme, a collaboration between Engineers Without Borders Ireland and the Development Technology in the Community Research Group within TU Dublin

1.) Where There is no Engineer – Designing for Community Resilience by Engineers Without Borders Ireland
'Where There is no Engineer – Designing for Community Resilience' is a collaboration between Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Ireland and the Development Technology in the Community (DTC) Research Group within TU Dublin which brings the world into the classroom to re-imagine the way we teach engineering.

Each year we develop a set of design briefs with our development partners around the world based on real life challenges faced by communities within a specific country.

Students are challenged to innovate and develop culturally and environmentally appropriate solutions and products.

Teams participate in interactive workshops to design, build and test their concepts with the best innovations showcased at the national final where the winning team is sponsored by Davies Ltd to travel to the selected country to work with the community. The EWB Innovation Academy supports other teams to develop their concepts further.

The initiative is supported by a range of flexible learning resources which empower lecturers to challenge the next generation of engineers to be problem solvers and innovators and to contribute in a practical way towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The Limerick for Engineering group.

2.) Inspiring Collaboration to Create and Develop Engineering Talent by Limerick for Engineering
Limerick for Engineering (LFE) is an industry led consortium of more than 40 manufacturing, construction and service companies, both multinational and indigenous.

The consortium is a collaboration with education and training providers, with a single shared ambition – to increase the quality and quantity of engineering talent, at every level, in the midwest region.

The consortium is committed to sustaining growth for the engineering and manufacturing industry and to sharing expertise and resources to ensure that graduate skills are relevant to career opportunities locally.

The word that exemplifies Limerick for Engineering is ‘Collaboration’. It is the people who have embraced the shared ambition and values that differentiate Limerick for Engineering and driven its success.

Limerick for Engineering has increased highly relevant lifelong learning and upskilling opportunities for those in employment through its ‘Talent’ subcommittee.

The talent pipeline is primed through the annual LFE Showcase event. Each participating company hosts an interactive stand where young engineers inform the second level students what it would be like to work as an apprentice, technician or engineer in their company.

3.) Certificate in Building Control Management by the National Building Control Office, Institute of Technology Carlow and Local Authority Services National Training Group
Institute of Technology Carlow, in partnership with the National Building Control Office (NBCO), launched a new certificate course in building control management to facilitate proper training in compliance and regulation management within Ireland’s €20 billion construction industry.

Co-ordinated and delivered by the institute’s Extended Campus Department, the Certificate in Building Control Management will commence mid-October and be delivered in the local authorities' five regional training centres located in Cork, Dublin, Mayo, Donegal and Tipperary.

Local Government Management Agency, from left: Mairead Phelan, Sabrina McDonnell and Colin Barden.

The programme will run over one year and be recognised as the minimum standard in building control. Modules include: Built Environment Legislation; Administrative Functions; Building Control Management System; Building Regulations; Inspection Procedures and Policy; Enforcement - Legal with Case Studies and Compliance Support.

The lack of formal training and qualifications for those involved in all aspects of construction of buildings was recognised as being a major contributory factor in Ireland’s defective buildings; a legacy of the Celtic Tiger.

A dynamic economy needs a well-trained and well-regulated construction industry, delivering good quality buildings which are fit for purpose.

This Level 7 Certificate is open to all in the construction sector and will bridge the gap between the builders/designers and regulators to ensure that all stakeholders understand their respective roles.

4.) EDGE Programme by CONNECT Centre at Trinity College Dublin
EDGE is the prestigious EU-funded training and development programme for ICT engineers led by the CONNECT Centre at Trinity College Dublin, in partnership with two other SFI research centres, AMBER and ADAPT. EDGE’s goal is to form the next generation of thought leaders in ICT engineering.

EDGE programme for ICT engineers led by the CONNECT Centre at Trinity College Dublin.

Since launching in 2017, EDGE has attracted 45 top-class researchers to Ireland from 17 countries. EDGE fellows are world leading researchers, recruited through competitive peer review of a research proposal.

EDGE places these researchers in three cutting-edge areas of vital importance to the Irish economy: Future Networks and Communications; Digital Content & Media Technologies; and Advanced Materials and Bioengineering.

EDGE has made a significant contribution to engineering human capital in Ireland by providing these engineers – already highly accomplished in their academic fields – with opportunities for interdisciplinary and industry-focused research, as well as training in essential transferable skills such as leadership development, the cultivation of creative thinking, and a strong focus on female empowerment in engineering.

EDGE fellows have taken up positions in companies such as Accenture, as well as academic posts internationally.

EDGE has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 713567.

5.) Inspiring Future Civil Engineers by the School of Civil Engineering, University College Dublin
There has been a concerted effort in the School of Civil Engineering at University College Dublin to promote the inspirational career of a civil engineer.

School of Civil Engineering at University College Dublin.

Within the school, we have developed four approaches to inspiring students to choose civil engineering as a career, namely:

  • Novel outreach practices to diverse/under-represented groups
  • Educational excellence in European funded projects on critical thinking and also introduction of a new module aimed at attracting students and bringing internationally recognised pedagogy into the classroom
  • Explicit promotion of gender diversity to attract more females into civil engineering
  • International education initiatives such as our dual degree programme with Chang’an University, China and our dual Masters programme with Colombia University, USA

Through these initiatives, our students are exposed to international best practice education developed in European funded projects and gender diversity of our student community will be improved through implementation of our college’s successful Athena Swan Bronze award.

Our dual degree programme and dual masters are the first of their kind in the country. The impact of all these initiatives has already increased intake into civil engineering.

The Engineering Education Award is one of 13 award categories which will be presented at the Engineers Ireland Excellence Awards on Friday, November 15.

To view each shortlisted category in detail and to vote for the Engineering Project of the Year Award, visit: http://www.engineersireland.ie/Awards.aspx

Excellence Awards spotlight: Engineering Education Award

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