Wave and Tidal Generation Devices: Reliability and Availability

There are many wave and tidal devices under development but as yet very few are actually in revenue earning production. However the engineering problems are gradually being solved and there is an appetite to invest in these renewable generation technologies for harsher environments. To some extent the wave and tidal generation industry is following in the wake of the wind industry, particularly learning from the growing experience of offshore wind farm deployment. This book combines wind industry lessons with wave and tidal field knowledge to explore the main reliability and availability issues facing this growing industry.

Topics covered include an overview of wave and tidal development; resource; reliability theory relevant to wave and tidal devices; reliability prediction method for wave and tidal devices; practical wave and tidal device reliability; effects of MEC device taxonomy on reliability; availability and its effect on the cost of marine energy; wave and tidal device layout and grid connection; design and testing for wave and tidal devices; operational experience and lessons learnt; monitoring and its effect on operations and maintenance; and overall conclusions.

Wave and Tidal Generation Devices: Reliability and availability is essential reading for wave and tidal engineers and researchers and students of renewable energy.

Peter Tavner has held a number of senior research and technical positions in the electrical supply and manufacturing industries, including Group Head in a former CEGB research laboratory and Technical Director of Laurence, Scott & Electromotors Ltd (LSE) and Brush Electrical Machines Ltd (BEM), two of the UK's large electrical machine manufacturers. He was also Group Technical Director of FKI Energy Technology, former owner of LSE & BEM, an international business manufacturing wind turbines, electrical machines and drives in the UK, Holland, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic. He was Professor of New & Renewable Energy at Durham University for 8 years, establishing the New & Renewable Energy MSc and MEng courses and placing the university as a leading UK centre in off-shore wind energy. Professor Tavner was President of the European Academy of Wind Energy from 2010-2012, author of two IET books: Condition Monitoring of Rotating Electrical Machines (1987, 2008), and Offshore Wind Turbines: Reliability, availability and maintenance (2012), and winner of the Institution Premium of the IEE in 1988.