Engineering the Future of Green Power

A new Digital Displacement® power system with digitally controlled hydraulics, is the winner of the annual, 2016 July UK’s MacRobert Award for outstanding innovation in engineering. This system signals the next step in green-power and has the potential to move clean energy along in leaps and bounds.

The modular system was designed by an engineering team from Artemis Intelligent Power. It has the potential to convert the feasibility of offshore wind power and low carbon transportation and may very well replace the mechanical gearbox in wind turbines in the not-too-distant future.

Each year the MacRobert Award is given to those bright minds who bring outstanding innovation to the table along with tangible social benefits and real market success.  

“The Artemis story is truly compelling. The company has achieved a technical advance of global importance, making significant power delivery from offshore wind considerably more credible and realisable and facilitating the global goal of reducing CO2 emissions. This is not simply evolutionary improvement, but a complete step change, and one that took years of commitment to achieve”, emphasises Chair of the MacRobert Award judging panel, Dame Sue Ion DBE FREng.

What Are the Benefits of This System?

The system considerably improves power capacity & efficiency. The system is intended to conquer the massive reliability problems which plague current, functioning turbines. Artemis is already delivering world-leading systems, significantly improving turbine efficiency and in doing so, the prospects for future utilisation of wind power.

This same technology can also be used in trains and buses to minimise fuel consumption by around 10%.

Such systems makes hybrid buses a much more do-able option

Dr Gordon Masterton OBE FREng FRSE, the former Vice President of Jacobs Engineering and a judging panel member draws attention to what this remarkable feat means for the future of engineering.

 "The team has done for hydraulic engines what James Watt did for steam engines; they have totally transformed the efficiency and range of potential applications. The largest floating wind turbine in the world is to be powered with a Digital Displacement transmission, and I strongly believe there are many other exciting applications for this stunning engineering breakthrough”, expressed Dr Masterton.

Where is it Being Tested?

This new hydraulically controlled digital displacement system is already being used in a 7 MW turbine residing in Scotland for testing in partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It produces twice the power out-put compared to our current 3.5 MW turbines., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will soon be installing another, just off the coast near Fukushima Japan. 

International Women’s Day and the Under-representation of women in STEM fields

March 8 is International Women’s Day, and despite pushes to get more girls to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects, women are still underrepresented in the engineering industry. This week we are celebrating women in engineering, and will discuss common challenges they face and how some have found ways to overcome them...

Energy Minister Reassures Queensland About Renewable Energy Target Concerns

While Queensland’s current renewable energy level is about seven per cent, the state government released a report on how to achieve the 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030, saying it would also be “broadly cost-neutral” to consumers.

Engineers must step up as thought leaders

With the Australian Engineering Conference 2016 coming up next month, Alan Finkel kick starts this year’s discussion with his vision for the future of the profession.