Testing and Expertise for Marine Energy (TEAMER) Workshop: 2024 WEC Modeling and Controls Workshop

The 2024 WEC Design and Controls Workshop brings together experts from the Pacific Marine Energy Center, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories to provide a week-long, immersive and active learning experience.

Attendees will learn about wave resource assessments, numerical WEC-Sim modelling, experimental wave laboratory test campaigns, and application of control theory - all with practical implementation of the LUPA Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter in the Large Wave Flume at Hinsdale.

Module 1 - Workshop Overview and Wave Resource Assessments (Video)

• April 18, 12–1 p.m. MT by Dr. Bryson Robertson and Courtney Beringer, PhD candidate
  • This webinar will provide an overview of the “WEC Modeling and Controls Workshop,” including goals, learning objectives, activities, and experiments. In addition, the webinar will provide a quick overview of the topics and requirements for the Wave Resource Assessment portion of the workshop. It will cover the basics of waves, wave measurement tools, numerical wave models vs. in-situ measurements, IEC parameters, and more.
  • OBJECTIVE: give attendees a preview of material to be covered during Day 1 of the workshop, and ensure they understand the requirements to attend in-person.

Module 2 - Numerical Modelling and Experimental Testing (Video)

• April 25, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. MT WEC-Sim Overview and Demonstration by MSc Kelley Ruehl
  • This session will provide an overview and demonstration of the Wave Energy Converter Simulator (WEC-Sim) software. This session is an opportunity for attendees to install and run WEC-Sim prior to the workshop.
• April 25, 12–1 p.m. MT Physical Modeling of WECs by Dr. Pedro Lomonaco and Dr. Johannes Spinneken
  • This session will provide an overview of testing facilities and most common instrumentation available for testing Wave Energy Converters in a laboratory setting. Specific methodologies for System ID, performance and extreme conditions of floating and fixed WECs will be covered, including some of the techniques that will be presented during the Workshop.

Module 3 - WEC Dynamics and Controls (Video)

• April 29, 9–10:30 a.m. MT by Dr. Ryan Coe, Prof. Ted Brekken, and Dr. Giorgio Bacelli
  • This session will cover key tools to predict and maximize the performance of a wave energy converter. These will include reduced-order modeling, system identification, maximum power transmission for oscillating systems, feedback control design, and practical implementation in hardware.