Power Systems specialists at energy consultancy TNEI are working closely with the UK’s wave and tidal developers and manufacturers to create Europe’s 1st software programme to analyse the power generated by the wave and tidal industry.
The team at TNEI is creating the model for its IPSA software program that will allow detailed analysis of wave and tidal farms to shape their development and design. The IPSA program, owned and developed by TNEI, already has similar, highly successful modelling extensions for the analysis of wind farms, software systems that were the first of their kind in the UK for this renewable energy form.
The new wave and tidal software is being developed in tandem with the growth of the industry, which is currently in its infancy. When the software model ships towards the end of 2009, it will be an essential tool in helping the industry develop and mature.
IPSA software specialists are developing generic wave and tidal models for the programme which will work with real data to provide accurate predictions of the power these devices can provide and help with the design and development of the electrical network and grid connections for wave and tidal farms.
Currently, there is a lack of industry data as early analysis has focused on device concepts and prototypes. As the industry matures, the new IPSA software will allow manufacturers and developers to look at the connection of wave and tidal devices to the national grid and the impact and implications of these variable power sources.
Commenting on this new software package, Adam Maloyd explained:
“The wave and tidal industry is a very young, underdeveloped industry faced with lots of unanswered questions. The new IPSA software development will help developers to gather accurate and meaningful information, model different wave and tidal farm scenarios and facilitate the development of more robust systems.”