Student Tackles Power Problem
7 June 2010
A Costain-sponsored student has helped a team from Birmingham
University share first place in a national competition to find
solutions to a topical question faced by the power industry.
Adam Flory, 21, who is due to graduate in summer 2011 with a
Masters in civil engineering, receives annual sponsorship funding
from Costain and undertakes summer work placements with the
Group.
He was a member of a four-strong team that entered an RWE nPower
challenge to universities in which the power generator set the
question of how an organisation like it could deal with the effects
of climate change.
Adam's team put forward the idea of controlled, sacrificial
flooding of flat plains upstream from highly-populated areas to
protect homes and commercial premises, then running the water off
through turbines when the flooding danger had passed.
"We initially had to submit a 500-word synopsis of our scheme.
We were successful and chosen to go forward to the next round,
giving a six-minute presentation at Ferrybridge power station near
Leeds," says Adam. "We then had to give an eight-minute
presentation held at Wembley Stadium in front of senior nPower
board directors in the final."
An accompanying model of such a scheme, made out of the trusty
modelling standbys of chicken wire, paper and plaster of Paris,
then painted, attracted the attention of the judges, says Adam.
Each team member received a cheque for £1,250 and their
university department was also awarded £5,000. They are also due to
present their project to a selected audience at the House of
Commons on 23 June and receive a certificate from the Prime
Minister.
Ends