Plant Equipment Feature Library

Operations Engineer's library catalogues editorial features going back five years.

Access to all archive material is free to all, including non-members of IPlantE (the Institution of Operations Engineers) or BES (Bureau of Engineer Surveyors), under the umbrella of SOE (Society of Operations Engineers). However, to discover the many benefits of becoming an SOE member, please click here.

10/06/2024 Motion sensor solutions Bigger is almost certainly always better when it comes to heat pumps. In other words, performance, efficiency and cost advantages can all be achieved when going larger, says Jody Muelaner » Read More


08/05/2024 Size is everything for heat pumps Bigger is almost certainly always better when it comes to heat pumps. In other words, performance, efficiency and cost advantages can all be achieved when going larger, says Jody Muelaner » Read More


09/04/2024 Rolling out heat pumps The most common scenario for large-scale switching to heat pumps is retrofitting an existing gas-fired heating solution. What enabling works might be required and how ready is the UK supply chain to deliver when it comes to helping to ... » Read More


02/11/2023 Exploring thermal fluid analysis Regular thermal fluid sampling and analysis enables businesses to proactively monitor fluid condition and intervene before issues impact production » Read More


29/03/2023 Hard target What can be done to increase the number of heat pump installations to meet the government’s challenging net zero targets, asks Tom Austin-Morgan » Read More


04/03/2020 Pump it up A heat pump, in simple terms, is a device that transfers heat from a source to another location. With the rising popularity of renewable energy sources, they have become effective alternatives to fossil fuels and can even reduce utility ... » Read More


08/05/2019 Comment: Give and take Over the years covering industry, I’ve written a lot about nature and the environment. Usually I channel my inner Attenborough, reiterating how we need to do more to protect our lands and oceans, help wildlife, and minimise air and waste ... » Read More


08/05/2019 Tapping into nature A Queen’s Quay regeneration project in Clydebank is set to be the site of one of the UK’s most exciting energy projects, creating Scotland’s first large-scale water source heat pump scheme to connect to a district heating network » Read More


10/08/2010 Energy Event Energy efficiency and energy saving are right up there on plant engineers' agendas. Brian Wall previews the forthcoming Energy Event 2010 conference and exhibition » Read More


07/06/2010 Money for new energy Building energy strategies are changing thanks to the latest government incentives. Dr Tom Shelley reports » Read More


01/03/2010 Latent heating As UK government ups the ante on going green and slashing emissions, air- and ground-source heat pumps are rearing their heads again. Brian Tinham examines the issues » Read More


01/10/2009 Saving the earth In the rush to save energy and reduce emissions, it's easy to forget the sheer range of potential solutions. Dr Tom Shelley reviews some of today's most powerful options » Read More


01/10/2008 Go easy on energy The oil price might fall below $100 per barrel, taking other energy prices down with it, but it may also climb to $200, according to energy industry insider Mike Brooks of St Omer Consulting. The point: plant managers should be planning ... » Read More


01/12/2007 Cooling the tube Anyone who travels on London Underground knows that the tube is too hot, particularly on the deeper central area lines. When Transport for London's (TfL) Cooling the Tube programme director Kevin Payne tells you: "We're going to move from ... » Read More


01/04/2007 The old ones are the best ones Most worthwhile energy-saving techniques have been around for years, but, as increased energy prices, newer legislation and growing public awareness around emissions all force users to reconsider fuel consumption, many are now re-surfacing ... » Read More