Penn State
Wind Energy
Workforce Development Activities
Virginia Statewide Wind Energy Symposium
June 21, 2012
Dr. Susan W. Stewart
Research Associate, Aerospace Engineering & Architectural Engineering
Coordinator, Renewable Energy Engineering Workforce Development
Director, Penn State Wind for Schools Program
My Background
• 1999: Penn State ME grad
• 1999-2003: MS & PhD from Georgia Tech in ME, focus on
Energy Systems
• 2004-2007: Research Faculty, GT Strategic Energy Institute
– Focused on high impact, near term, energy technology
assessments for regional energy and economic development
opportunities.
• Conducted two year offshore wind farm feasibility study for Coastal Georgia.
• 2007-2011: Research Associate, PSU Applied Research
Laboratory
– Developed new business areas for the lab in renewable energy.
– Worked with Aerospace Engineering to unite capabilities and
interest across the University in wind energy.
• 2011: Research Associate, Aerospace Engineering and
Architectural Engineering
– Coordinating renewable energy engineering workforce development
initiatives (wind and smart grid).
– Director of the Pennsylvania Wind for Schools Program.
University Wind Energy
Curriculum Participants
• George Lesieutre – Professor & Head,
Department of Aerospace Engineering
• Susan Stewart – Research Associate,
Aerospace Engineering & Architectural
Engineering
• Sven Schmitz – Assistant Professor,
Aerospace Engineering
• Dennis McLaughlin – Professor, Aerospace
Engineering
• Several additional faculty in Mechanical, Civil,
Electrical and Energy Engineering.
3
From NREL’s Ian Baring Gould:
Why is Wind Energy Education Needed?
4
Wind Energy Workforce
Development: Engineering, Science,
& Technology
Meeting the Needs of the Future, Now
DOE Wind Workforce Development Grant (2009)
PI: George Lesieutre
Wind Energy Engineering
Collegiate Education
Lessons Learned
• Engineering at discipline level still needed –
but ability to focus on wind energy greatly
improves marketability for a student.
• Graduate programs should not necessarily
provide uniform curriculum
– Universities have different strengths and should
build on them.
• There is a market for professionals who want
to move into the wind energy industry or need
a broader understanding of wind energy
technology.
Defining a Niche
• There are only so many next generation wind
turbine designers
• There are many more people involved with
getting turbines in the ground.
– Technical, business, and environmental
challenges all come together in this field.
– Although you need to understand this piece as
you design turbines as well!
PSU Wind Energy Workforce
Development
• Online Prof. Masters in Renewable Energy with a Wind
Energy Option
– Option courses will also constitute Graduate Certificate in Wind
Energy Engineering
• Courses offered in residence – currently under development for online
delivery starting in Fall 2012
• Penn College of Technology
• Renewable Energy Technology degree program now offered.
• Wind Energy Engineering Short Course
• PA Wind for Schools program
• Faculty from across the College of Engineering and the
College of Earth & Mineral Sciences participating
8
Intercollege Master of Professional Studies
in
Renewable Energy and Sustainability
Systems
(iMPS-RESS)*
To be offered by the College of Agricultural Sciences, the College of
Earth and Mineral Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the
College of Liberal Arts
Coordinated by the John A Dutton e-Education Institute
Delivered online through Penn State World Campus
Directed by an Advisory Board of Penn State faculty members and
external experts
*curriculum still undergoing Penn State approval
College/Departments Involved
• The iMPS-RESS program involves four colleges and eight academic
departments within the University, working together under the
coordination of an iMPSS-RESS Program Office.
• Colleges
–
–
–
–
College of Agricultural Sciences (Academic Lead)
College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (Administrative Lead)
College of Engineering
College of the Liberal Arts
• Departments
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Department of Architectural Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
Department of Crop and Soil Science
Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering
School of Forest Resources
Department of Marketing
Master’s Core Curriculum*
EME 802 –
Renewable and
Sustainable Energy
Systems (3)
EME 504 –
Sustainability
Systems (3)
BIOET 515 – Ethical
Dimensions of
RESS (2)
*curriculum still undergoing Penn State approval
EME 801 – Energy
Markets, Policy, and
Regulation (3)
A B E 589 –
Management and
Design of RESS (3)
Curriculum Options
An additional 18 credits must be taken from a
selection of over 20 online courses, and may
include one of the following Program Options:
Wind Energy Solar Energy
Option
Option
AERSP
EME & AE
Bioenergy
Option
ABE
Each Option plans to be a stand-alone
Graduate Certificate as well
*curriculum still undergoing Penn State approval
Sustainability
Management
and Policy
Option
EME
Graduate Course Numbering
• Definition of a 500-Level Course
– A 500-level graduate course builds on advanced undergraduate
and/or graduate courses, dealing with the frontiers of
knowledge in the field. It is grounded in theories, hypotheses,
and methodologies as expounded in current and/or primary
literature sources. Synthesis of knowledge and independent
analytical work by the student must be demonstrated.
Significant interaction among students and with the instructor(s)
is expected.
• Definition of an 800-Level Course
– An 800-level graduate course pertains to the most recently
established knowledge and methodologies in a field of study, as
applied to practice. It emphasizes analytical thinking and
application of knowledge by the student in the context of
providing pragmatic solutions for professionals. Significant
interaction among students and with the instructor(s) is
expected
iMPS RESS PROGRAM
OBJECTIVES LIST
• Energy and Sustainability Science
• Energy and Sustainability Project
Development
• Business Acumen
• Energy and Sustainability Leadership
• Advanced Critical Thinking
*curriculum still undergoing Penn State approval
Wind Energy Option
• The wind energy option will produce graduates who
have broad understanding of the wind farm
development process as well as technical depth in
turbine technology and the science of properly siting
wind turbines. Graduates will be able to model wind
farm performance, understand the complexities of
permitting and logistics, and conduct turbine load and
acoustic analyses. They will also understand the
limitations of models and will be equipped as leaders
for advancement in the wind industry. The courses
that will constitute the option include:
– Wind Turbine Systems (AERSP 880)
– Wind Turbine Aerodynamics (AERSP 583)
– Engineering of Wind Project Development (AERSP 886)
*curriculum still undergoing Penn State approval
Online Intercollege Master of Professional
Studies in Renewable Energy and Sustainability
Systems – Wind Energy Option*
• 3 new courses undergoing approval, will also constitute a new
graduate certificate in wind energy engineering.
• Program to kick off in spring 2013 online.
AERSP 880 –
Wind Turbine Systems
1.
2.
3.
4.
Wind Industry Overview
The Wind Resource
Energy Analysis
Aerodynamics of Horizontal
Axis Wind Turbines
Wind Turbine Design Evolution
Conceptual Design of a Modern
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines
Turbine Design Standards
Component Design Details –
Drivetrain
Component Design Details –
Structural Elements
Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition & Health
Monitoring of Wind Turbines
AERSP 583 – Wind
Turbine Aerodynamics
1. Linkage Between Wind
Turbine Development and
History of Aerodynamics
2. Blade-Element Momentum
(BEM) Theory
5.
3. Dynamic Loads on Wind
6.
Turbine Blades
4. Wind Turbine Airfoils
7.
5. Wind Turbine Design and
8.
Loads Analysis Codes
6. Vortex-Wake Methods
9.
7. Advanced Computational
Models
10.
8. Unsteady Aerodynamics of
Wind Turbines
9. Wind Turbine Noise
Generation and Propagation
for Wind Siting Analysis
*curriculum still undergoing Penn State approval
AERSP 886 – Engineering of
Wind Project Development
1. Project Development Issues
2. Financial modeling
3. Wind Siting & Conceptual
Layout of a Wind Power Plant
4. Atmospheric Boundary Layer
5. Wind Power Forecasting
6. Wind Turbine Aerodynamics
Review
7. Wind Turbine/Farm Wake
Modeling
8. Offshore Considerations
9. Wind Farm Controls
Wind Energy Advisory
Board
• Kurt Geiger – VP Human Capital Management,
Gamesa.
• Ian Baring-Gould
– Technical Director, NREL Wind Powering America Program
• Ruth Heffernan Marsh
– Senior Engineer, DNV Renewables (USA) Inc.
• David Shadle
– VP of Business Development, Iberdrola Renewables
• Karen Tyrell
– VP, BHE Environmental
• Dana Dehoff
– VP Workforce and Business Development, Manufacturers
Association of South Central PA
Wind Energy Engineering Short
Course
• From our experience we have found that there had
been an influx of new engineers at wind energy
companies who needed an overview of the wind
turbine as a system and an understanding of the
industry as a whole.
• Conducted a short course for 23 participants at a
wind turbine manufacturer’s facilities in Fall 2010.
– It was needed to provide background education on wind
energy for their recently expanded workforce coming from
other industries.
• Offered course at University Park in August 2011.
• Scheduled again for August 6-9, 2012.
– http://www.wind.psu.edu/shortcourse/
Wind Projects Class
Prof. Dennis McLaughlin, Aerospace Engineering
Lead Graduate Student: Brian Wallace
19
List of Projects
•
Project
Faculty
Grad Student Leader Undergraduates
•
1a Skystream Turbine
•
1b Research Wind Turbine
–
•
3 Small Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine in Wind Tunnel
–
•
DKM, Ben, Yooku, D. Long, D. Baver
5 Numerical Wind Turbine Experiments (w / scaling)
–
•
RRA, Kylie F., Wark, Watson, Imperiale
4 Composite Turbine Upgrade to Research Wind Turbine
–
•
DKM, BDW, Mike D., Saucier, Gumke, Karns
SUS, Josh D., Digirolamo, Dunbar, Gouge
6 Numerical Experiments in Support of Field Tests
–
DKM, BDW, Steve O'N., Akinbiyi, Rehal
Skystream and Research Wind
Turbine Testing
Collected Wind Data
 LabView Data were
collected over 20 min. at a
sample rate averaged over
3 sec. per data point.
 Peak AC Power was found
at the Peak Wind Speed of
23.4 mph resulting in a
Power of 2.3 kW.
 Data will be processed w/
Matlab to compare the
results accuracy .
 Matlab allows for flexibility
of resolution of sample
rates.
Pennsylvania Wind for Schools
• DOE funded program with goal to install 3-5 wind
turbines/yr at K-12 schools across PA.
• Working with 7 schools presently to select site, raise
funding (~$25-30k/school) and integrate
wind curriculum.
– Feasibility studies conducted for schools with
Junior/Senior level Energy Engineering students
• 75 teachers trained over last year
• KidWind Challenge in State College in May