TEACHING
Instruction

The UD’s offshore wind power program commenced in 2003 with research on the then-existing federal regulatory framework and recommendations for improvements as well as interviews with residents in Cape Cod regarding the proposed Cape Wind project—research that involved five students. The program expanded in 2004 to include an interdisciplinary course, Offshore Wind Power: Science, Engineering, and Policy, which was offered again in 2006, in 2008 and 2010. The course covers the multiple disciplines required to develop offshore wind resources for large-scale power production, integrating science, engineering and policy. It covers numerous topics including: geophysics of wind resources; offshore wind resource assessment; basic electrical and mechanical engineering aspects of wind turbines; connecting wind electricity to the electric grid; electric markets; storage of intermittent wind power; policy for offshore development; environmental assessment; and social acceptance offshore wind power. A class on Geological and Geotechnical Aspects of Offshore Wind will be taught for the first time in the fall of 2011. Courses and course modules of Wind Meteorology, Wind Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Wind are also offered at UD or under development and will be offered for the first time in 2012. In addition, classes analyzing climate change policy and renewable energy and conservation policy are taught in the program.