Abertay student's green energy and power plant design research put on display

Abertay researcher's green energy and power plant design research presented to public

An Abertay PhD student’s research into renewable alternatives to fossil fuel was put on display at a public event in Dundee.

Roya Eidi was at ScrapAntics in the Wellgate Shopping Centre to discuss her work into green energy and power plant design with the local community.

Using the event to share her research, she engaged with the public on how the continued use of fossil fuels poses significant environmental and health risks.

The Family Fun Day at ScrapAntics' Community Space gave academics from both Abertay University and Dundee University an opportunity to engage with locals on a diverse range of scientific and artistic work.

Roya's research explores green energy usage as an alternative to fossil fuels, and power plant design. It also covers the potential use of renewable energy sources to generate hydrogen as an alternative power source.

Using a doll-house kitted out with solar panels, Roya discussed energy and environmental issues with people of all ages – from young children to parents.

To engage youngsters, she put together a simple story with colour photos explaining the importance of energy in our lives, the impact of fossil fuels on the planet and human health, the different types of renewables, and the importance of adopting these energy sources as an alternative to fossil fuels.

She said:

The ScrapAntics Family Fun Day was a fantastic opportunity to share the energy concept, and its effect on our life and environment, with the public in Dundee. Seeing so much interest and engagement on energy issues from the children and their parents in attendance was amazing. Young people are our future and it is vital to get them engaged and informed on important energy and environment issues from an early age.

Discussing her academic work, Roya said it is essential to prioritise energy sources and technologies that reduce emissions and mitigate environmental impacts.

She added:

Reducing fossil fuel consumption is crucial for significantly cutting carbon dioxide emissions, a key contributor to global warming. Transitioning to renewable energy is a promising solution, but its adoption is not progressing quickly enough to meet the world's growing energy demands. Several challenges hinder the widespread use of renewables, including issues related to equipment recyclability, environmental impacts, and the effect on wildlife, such as marine mammals and bird populations. Additionally, renewable energy production is subject to technical challenges like electricity fluctuations due to meteorological variability, which complicates global energy supply and affects voltage stability and plant efficiency.