With so many trends, technologies and techniques to keep track of, the Sustainability in Engineering webinar series returned last week (23-26 September) to give you the expert knowledge you need to help build a cleaner, greener tomorrow.
Here are key messages from three of the seven Engineering Futures sessions, which are available to watch on-demand now.
Collaboration is key
Net zero is not a challenge that can be solved in isolation. Collaboration is key to the uptake of innovative new technologies, said IMechE president Dr Clive Hickman OBE in his manufacturing-focused session.
Professional institutions such as IMechE enable “cross-fertilisation of ideas”, he said, bringing people from different companies, committees and walks of life together. “The only way that we can solve these major challenges, these wicked problems that we face as a country and as the world, is by collaboration.”
Involving everything from materials to energy, the multi-faceted nature of boosting sustainability also means that individuals need to draw on a wide range of skills, he added.
“I think we have to add multidisciplinary skills in all of these things,” he said. “We need people who operate on different levels in the spectrum. So whether you're an engineer, a technician or an apprentice, all of those working together collaboratively, and then working cross-discipline as well.”
Adopting hydrogen isn’t easy – but it could transform aviation
For such a promising aviation fuel, hydrogen has a lot of problems that remain to be solved. Storage of liquid hydrogen – the most efficient option – requires cryogenic temperatures of -253ºC and large-volume tanks, which will likely need new locations on aircraft. Widescale use in aviation will need new distribution, storage and fuelling infrastructure at airports worldwide. Safety concerns include invisible leaks and material compatibility issues, while other issues include range limitations and a need for new standards.
But, said Dr Neys Schreiner from Cranfield University, hydrogen nonetheless “offers a compelling path towards sustainable aviation. Its zero carbon emissions, improved air quality benefits and long-term economic advantages make it a promising solution.”
Speaking alongside colleague Professor Upul KG Wijayantha, Dr Schreiner gave viewers an in-depth look at some of the innovative solutions being explored at Cranfield, which is developing a new hydrogen test facility at its on-site airport.
“The ambition here is to, in the long term, have a facility that's able to test everything, from the fundamentals of materials through to the individual components – for example valves, pumps, sensors – and test them as integrated systems, potentially even with a partial propulsion system to burn the hydrogen at the end.”
There is no sustainability without diversity
Women are severely underrepresented in engineering, making up roughly 16.5% of the workforce. This means that projects and companies often do not have diverse perspectives, said Radhika Sharma, mechanical design engineer from Viridian Solar, affecting how organisations are run and how change is enacted.
This is particularly problematic when discussing sustainability issues, as highlighted in the session hosted by Engineering Futures partner SheCanEngineer, a charity aiming to close the gender gap in engineering.
A lack of diversity can hold back sustainability initiatives, said Laurie Cusick, energy transition engineer at RED Engineering Design. “The majority of us here are London-based, or definitely UK-based, and what we really don't realise a lot of the time is we're some of the least affected by climate change. By having that inclusivity of people who had more experience, or had family members affected by climate change, it really does help influence decisions.
“I think from an R&D perspective, particularly, we talk a lot about developed countries – who are the least affected – being the ones to drive R&D in the energy transition. So the real issues, and the real people experiencing these issues, should definitely have a say in where that capital goes.”
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.