Dr David Sprake
Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering
David is a Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Programme Leader for Renewable and Sustainable Engineering and the BEng (Hons) and the Low Carbon Energy, Efficiency & Sustainability Degree Apprenticeship. Before entering higher education, David spent 10 years working in engineering (contracting and consulting) on projects such as power stations, road construction, sea defences, public health (fresh water), topographic surveying and structural engineering.
David has won the following Student union (student voted) awards:
- Winner: Best lecturer 2019
- Winner: Sustainability champion 2020
- Short list Sustainability champion 2021.
David also holds the following roles in the University:
- A University Green champion
- Mental health first aider 2021
David collaborates with industry and other academic institutions:
- Assessing National trust property for renewable energy potential project.
- Knowledge transfer partnership with Envirohire (Local business) developing innovative new testing equipment for a ground source heat pump.
- External examiner for renewable energy programmes at the university highlands and islands (Scotland)(2016-2020).
- External validation panel member FdSc Energy and Environment, 2019, University of Suffolk’s partner institution.
- Erasmus programme visiting lecturer: (European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) teaching in ICAM, Lille, France. 2017, 2019, 2020.
- Regular guest lectures: IMechE, round table, various “Climate change & Renewable Energy – The solutions and their problems" (2020).
- Keynote speaker: Electrical energy systems conference. Lutsk National Technical University, Ukraine. December 2020.
- Expert panel member: Climate regional COP summit, June 2021.
David has completed a PhD in how large housing estates can be built or retrofitted to become carbon neutral with the use of renewable energy, energy storage and smart grids. David likes to travel and enjoys walking and mountain biking in his spare time.
Research Interests
The main research area focuses on Low carbon technologies such as renewable energy, Hydro, solar, biomass, and wind energy’s. This also includes hydrogen, electric cars and housing.
David is interested in the following areas of research:
- Future Energy mix
- Energy modelling of smart grids (on and off grid)
- Energy reduction techniques
- Powering future housing estates with carbon neutrality
- New innovations in renewable energy
- Climate change
- Hydrogen vs Electric vehicles
- New innovations in energy storage
- Sterling engines
PhD – How large housing estates can be built or retrofitted to become carbon neutral with the use of renewable energy, energy storage and smart grids.
Publications
| Year | Publication | Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Domestic demand-side management: analysis of microgrid with renewable energy sources using historical load data, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, 103. [DOI] Hecht, Christian;Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey |
Peer Reviewed Journal |
| 2021 | Stakeholder Relationships Towards Influencing New Zero Carbon House Building in the UK, PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2021 IEEE CONFERENCE OF RUSSIAN YOUNG RESEARCHERS IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING (ELCONRUS). [DOI] Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy |
Conference Publication |
| 2021 | Domestic demand-side management: Analysis of microgrid with renewable energy sources using historical load data, [DOI] Hecht, Christian;Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey |
Peer Reviewed Journal |
| 2021 | Stakeholder relationships towards influencing new zero carbon house building in the UK, Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy |
Other Publication |
| 2017 | Housing Estate Energy Storage Feasibility for a 2050 Scenario, PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2017 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS (ITA). Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy;Lupin, Sergey;Anuchin, Alecksey |
Conference Publication |
| 2017 | Modelling and Development of Energy Management System in a Domestic Building: Case Study, PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2017 IEEE RUSSIA SECTION YOUNG RESEARCHERS IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (2017 ELCONRUS). Jones, Owain;Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy;Borzistaya, Ekaterina |
Conference Publication |
| 2017 | A Geographical Information System Approach for Analysis of Surface Areas in the Context of Renewable Energy Resources, PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2017 IEEE RUSSIA SECTION YOUNG RESEARCHERS IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (2017 ELCONRUS). Oudin, Alexandre;Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy;Simonova, Olga |
Conference Publication |
| 2017 | Modelling and development of energy management system in a domestic building: Case study, Vagapov, Yuriy;Sprake, David |
Other Publication |
| 2017 | Housing estate energy storage feasibility for a 2050 scenario, Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy;Lupin, Sergey;Anuchin, Alecksey |
Other Publication |
| 2016 | Cross Impact Analysis of Vehicle-to-Grid Technologies in the Context of 2030, 2016 IX INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON POWER DRIVES SYSTEMS (ICPDS). [DOI] Knupfer, Markus;Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey |
Conference Publication |
| 2016 | Analysis of Electrical Energy Storage Technologies for Future Electric Grids, PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2016 IEEE NORTH WEST RUSSIA SECTION YOUNG RESEARCHERS IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (ELCONRUSNW). Brandeis, Leonhard;Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy;Tun, Hein |
Conference Publication |
| 2016 | Future Grid 2050 in Context of UK Gone Green Scenario, PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2016 IEEE NORTH WEST RUSSIA SECTION YOUNG RESEARCHERS IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (ELCONRUSNW). Pommerening, Peter;Sprake, David;Vagapov, Yuriy;Petrov, Nikita |
Conference Publication |
| 2016 | Cross impact analysis of vehicle-to-grid technologies in the context of 2030, Vagapov, Yuriy;Sprake, David;Knupfer, M;Anuchin, A |
Other Publication |
Honors and Awards
| Date | Title | Awarding Body |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Sustainability champion | Students’ Union – student voted awards |
| 2019 | Best lecturer | Students’ Union – student voted awards |
Professional Associations
| Association | Function | From/To |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Institute | Member | |
| Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) | Technical Lecture – Speaker | 2020 - 2021 |
| Higher Education Academy | Fellow | 2019 |
Committees
| Name | From/To |
|---|---|
| Board of Governors | 2020- 2023 |
Employment
| Employer | Position | From/To |
|---|---|---|
| Wrexham Glyndwr University | Sessional lecturer | 2009 -2013 |
| Yale College | Lecturer/ Technician/ in Engineering and Construction | 2001 -2009 |
| Self Employed | Property development | 1997 -2000 |
| Christiani Nielson - Civil Engineering Contractors | Site Engineer | 1995 -1996 |
| Henry Boot Construction Engineering Contractors | Engineer | 1994 -1995 |
| Keller Foundations | Site Engineer | 1994 -1944 |
| Parkman Consulting Engineers (Public Health) | Technician | 1992 -1944 |
Education
| Institution | Qualification | Subject | From/To |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Liverpool | Bachelor of Engineering | Civil Engineering | 1991 |
| Yale College | Postgraduate Certificate in Education | Education | 2010 |
| Engineering Council | Chartered Engineer | Engineering | 2019 |
| University of Chester | PhD | Large Housing Estates of the Future and the use of Smart Grids, Renewables and Storage to Meet 2050 Carbon Reduction Targets |
Consultancy & Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
| Client | Description | From/To |
|---|---|---|
| Envirohire | Developing innovative new testing equipment for a ground source heat pump | 2021 |
| European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students | Erasmus programme visiting lecturer - teaching in ICAM, Lille, France | 2017 - 2020 |
| National Trust | Assessing National Trust property for renewable energy potential project. | 2021 - 2021 |
| Clwyd Alyn Housing Association | Energy model creation for a new housing estate for housing association. | 2022 |
Other Professional Activities
| Title | From/To |
|---|---|
| Electrical energy systems conference | 2020 |
| Climate regional COP summit, UK Government https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyKADsR4D0w |
2021 |
| Guest lecturer: Round table “Climate change & Renewable Energy – The solutions and their problems" |
2020 |
Programs/ Modules Coordinated
| Title | Subject |
|---|---|
| Project (Environmental audit case study) | ENG449 |
| Renewable Energy Engineering | ENG53F |
| Maintenance & Safety System | ENG6AD |
| Wind and Hydro Energy Engineering | ENG5B2 |
| Engineering Design & Innovation | ENG765 |
| Sustainable Design | ENG477 |
| Energy Systems & Sustainability | ENG493 |
| Future Energy Systems & Sustainability | ENG4B7 |
| Solar, Biomass and Energy Storage Engineering | ENG5B3 |
| Climate Change, Consequences, Solution & Policies | ENG788 |
| Low carbon technologies | ENG50D |
| Business Management | ENG501 |
| Advanced renewable technology | ENG60H Advanced renewable technology |
| Wind turbine design and analysis. | ENG646 |
| Analysis of Renewable & Sustainable Systems | ENG736 |