Gannetsway Research Group Ltd

photo by Mary O

Back in West Clare, we are inching towards giving the Gannetsway Research Group a formal identity, which we hope to do at a meeting here next month (January 2023). Meanwhile, this is how our John and I have described it on the website loopheadprojects.ie  -

Project Description

Climate change and the need to replace fossil fuels with alternative and renewable forms of energy has moved to the frontline of government policies and movements for social change around the world. This change is affecting everybody and not least the marine industry which runs mostly on diesel, a fuel that is not only adding to the CO2 problem but has recently experienced considerable price increases which puts many businesses and communities under pressure.

The resulting challenges on Loop Head are shared by many similar coastal communities. Gannetsway Research Group Ltd. (Gannetsway Ltd.) is envisaged as a social enterprise to mobilise Citizen Science to empower those in our communities who want to work together to develop and deliver alternatives to fossil fuels, primarily for boats and other applications in the marine sector. ‘Gannetsway’ refers to the coasts of the North Atlantic Ocean.

It is proposed that Gannetsway Ltd. would be initiated through a paid membership model where membership would be open to everybody interested in marine endeavours and renewable energies. Gannetsway Ltd. would aim to support its members’ activities with research, training, procurement, funding, publicity, legal and business support.

To throw in some extra fun, Gannetsway Ltd. would also provide opportunities for people to interact with the marine environment; in a CO2-neutral manner.

Project Justification & Objectives

The Loop Head Peninsula and the Shannon Estuary are perfectly situated to develop and harvest wind and other renewable energies. The power station at Moneypoint is currently transitioning to facilitate this, not only locally, but also nationally and internationally, particularly through the production of hydrogen. The estuary features a fine marina and related facilities at Kilrush, stop-off points before the Atlantic at Carrigaholt and Kilbaha, a deep-water port at Foynes and has the potential to become a major hydrogen and renewable energy innovation hub. In addition, the wider area has a long and proud maritime heritage with a wealth of accumulated knowledge and innovation already present.

It makes sense to have a group like Gannetsway Ltd based in the area where new technology can be developed and be robustly tested at sea and on the farms. Having a base here would also strengthen the bonds between the communities on the Loop Head Peninsula and along the Shannon Estuary, and onwards along the Gannetsway, and so add to local community resilience as we all face the challenges of Climate Change. Initial objectives are:

• Assess the usefulness of hydrogen electrolysers in improving the efficiency and emissions of internal combustion engines, and so reduce fuel consumption (underway).

• Replace a diesel engine of a 13.6m sailing boat, formerly used for dolphin-watching out of Carrigaholt, with an electric motor where the battery would be charged by the propellor rotating when under sail - in collaboration with Nazaré Nautica in Portugal (underway).

• Examine and agree the appropriate governance foundation on which Gannetsway Ltd. should be built, including a development panel and/or steering group, and fine tuning the business model, decision making process and membership options

We would also hope to especially collaborate with other players around the Shannon Estuary, such as the proposed Maritime Training Centre in Kilrush, with the producers of ‘green hydrogen’ promised for Moneypoint, with the Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation, and not forgetting other potential players in the shipping and aviation industries present around the Shannon Estuary and beyond.

The Shannon Estuary now as I write.

The journey home from Bilbao went well, once we eventually got on the ferry, but somewhere along the road I got the impression that the hydrolyser was not working. When I lifted the bonnet, I found a burnt out wire on the negative connection, and the water looked dirty; I took it out and cleaned it up, and under Alec's supervision over Whatsapp, had it bubbling away on the workbench and then put it back in,- not an easy task for me, it has to be said, the crucial nut that holds it having to be got on its bolt by reaching down with the three fingers of my left hand. 

The electrolyser had been kicking around since we first tested on Alec's workbench a couple of years ago; I brought it back home and tried to find some mechanic here in Ireland interested in fitting it. 'Oh you'll land me in prison' or 'what if you get blown up?' were the kind of daft responses that I eventually elicited, so I had to take it back down for Alec to fit. Anyway when I took it apart again, I found the plates covered in slime. Cleaned up, and with a weaker admixture of potassium hydroxide (caustic potash), it seemed to be fine.

I topped up the tank and did some driving, 559 km to be precise, then topped up again, which showed that we had consumed 44.1 litres of petrol, so by my calculation we had travelled 12.67 km on average per litre. This was an improvement on 11.27 km/l, which was the average for the last couple of years, but not as good as I had hoped. Under the bonnet again, I found the hydrolyser spewing brown gunk. I am hoping this was on account of having used water from our shed roof in order to weaken the mix, so anyway now there was nothing for it but to take it out and clean it up all over again. Getting it back in was even more challenging now that the weather has turned cold, but now that's done,  it's full of purified water from the chemist, and I am awaiting more excuses to go motoring in the old Citroen Picasso to get another result!

Meanwhile life at Rahona goes on; we are 'leading the good life', according to an old friend from Donegal who visited last weekend. This means among other things eating plenty of kale from the garden, which is delicious when Fiona has prepared it with garlic and butter. She's also very good at rearing puppies, though I am glad the invasion of my workshop is over now! We have kept just one out of the seven pups, who is enjoying having Mummy Nugget all to herself!

meself by Nutan

If you are interested in coming to the meeting in January, 

email gannetsway@gmail.com