CPD Session 2013-2014 Semester 1

The following CPD Sessions were held in IDCORE Semester 1, 2013-2014:

  • Hydrodynamics of Offshore Renewable Energy Devices
  • Electromechanical & Electronic Energy Conversion Systems
  • Marine Renewable Resource Assessment
  • Economic and Policy Analysis for Offshore Renewables

Hydrodynamics of Offshore Renewable Energy Devices

  • 14th October - 25th October 2013
  • Location: Edinburgh & Glasgow
  • Course Leader: Prof Atilla Incecik, the University of Strathclyde
  • Price: £2500

The course aims to foster knowledge & understanding of factors influencing the dynamic behaviour of fixed and floating offshore renewable energy devices. It also develops skills required to predict dynamic motions and structural responses. The course is focused on generic, fundamental fluid mechanics and fluid structure interactions.

Learning Outcomes

  • Attendees will be able to predict the environmental forces and resulting motions of fixed and floating wave and tidal energy devices; and the structural loading on fixed and floating wave and tidal energy devices.
  • Knowledge and understanding of deep and shallow water wave kinematics; wave, current and motion induced loading on floating ORE structures; wind and current force formulations; derivation and solution of dynamic motion equations

Electromechanical & Electronic Energy Conversion Systems

  • 4th November – 15th November 2013
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Course leader: Prof Markus Mueller, the University of Edinburgh
  • Price: £2500

This course aims to give attendees an excellent working knowledge and understanding of the theory, technology and practice of electrical energy conversion and conditioning in offshore renewable energy converters.

Learning Outcomes

  • Knowledge of different types of drivetrains and the potential choice of generators, including hydraulic, geared and direct drive systems & the electromechanical characteristics of such drivetrains.
  • Basic design principles of electrical generators, including induction, field wound synchronous, permanent magnet machines, and switched reluctance machines.
  • Power conversion of variable voltage variable frequency drivetrains to fixed frequency and voltage for grid connection.
  • An understanding of the various components in power converters and their interface to prime mover and grid.
  • Control of drivetrains and power converters to optimise energy conversion from prime mover to grid.
  • Control of drivetrains during fault conditions and the ability to provide grid services.
  • An understanding of the reliability of different electromechanical drivetrains.
  • Novel generator and power converter technologies, such as air-cored PM generators, high temperature superconductor (HTS) technology, multi-level converters, matrix converters & HVDC technology.

Marine Renewable Resource Assessment

  • 18th November – 29th November 2013
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Course leader: Dr Helen Smith, the University of Exeter
  • Price: £2500

This course explains and discusses the basic physics required in resource modelling and assessment for wind, wave and marine currents (including tidal); provides understanding of user needs for resource assessment and its relation to offshore marine energy production (i.e. calculation of energy yield across all offshore RE technologies); and describes the measurement and data analysis procedures for site resource assessment.

Learning Outcomes

  • Knowledge of the physical marine environment
  • Understanding of the requirement for offshore resource assessment
  • Knowledge of assessment methods (physical and modelling)
  • Understanding and application of specific analytical techniques for each resource (wind, wave and tide)
  • Ability to undertake and apply an assessment for each resource

Economic and Policy Analysis for Offshore Renewables

  • 2nd December – 13th December 2013
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Course leader: Prof Peter McGregor, the University of Strathclyde
  • Price: £2500

This course addresses aspects of economic analysis and policy that are crucial for the offshore renewable sector: energy policy, investment appraisal (NPV, IRR), levelised costs, portfolio theory, markets and energy markets, monopoly power, externalities and regulation, “green jobs” - system-wide economic development and environmental impacts.

Learning Outcomes

  • Understanding of the goals, levers, constraints, analysis and decision processes relevant to energy policy and how these impact on offshore renewables.
  • Appreciation of the principles of investment appraisal and ability to apply methods to examples of offshore renewable projects.
  • Understand the principles of cost benefit analysis and be able apply them to offshore renewable initiatives.
  • Ability to provide a critical appraisal of the main methods available to calculate the level of “green jobs” in any economy, and to be able to explore this using input-output and computable general equilibrium modelling frameworks.
Professor Lars Johanning, Professor Julian Wolfram and David Parish at an IDCORE buoy launch
Professor Lars Johanning, Professor Julian Wolfram and David Parish at an IDCORE buoy launch