Offshore renewable energy

Postgraduate study in offshore wind, wave and tidal energy
Big Offshore wind-farm with transfer vessel

Why offshore renewable energy? Why Plymouth?

  • @Globally, investment of £2.5 trillion is predicted for the wind energy sector between 2017 and 2040 (Offshore Wind Industry Prospectus)

  • @In the UK alone, employment in the offshore wind sector is predicted to increase from 10,000 jobs in 2017 to 36,000 by 2032

  • @In the UK, the tidal stream and wave industry have been predicted to support 4000 jobs by 2030 and 8100 jobs by 2040 respectively

  • @Study with our offshore renewable energy experts at the University of Plymouth, an international leader in ORE research

  • @The University of Plymouth is ranked 8th worldwide in the field of Marine and Ocean Engineering in the 2019 Shanghai Rankings

  • @Take advantage of the University of Plymouth’s extensive relationships with the ORE industry

Offshore renewable energy (ORE) is a key strategy for achieving the transition from carbon emitting fossil fuels to clean low carbon renewable sources. The main sources from which energy is captured in ORE are offshore wind, waves and tidal currents. Our programmes focus on preparing the personnel who will design, develop, operate, and regulate the technology that will convert energy from these natural elements into usable power for our communities.

At the University of Plymouth we offer two MSc programmes to supports graduates ambitions to work within the offshore renewable energy sector.

The MSc Offshore Renewable Energy Engineering programme is for engineering graduates or those with similar technical backgrounds who wish to focus on the design and realisation of ORE projects.

The MSc Offshore Renewable Energy programme is a broadening programme designed to provide applicants of a wide range of backgrounds with a broad understanding of the ORE field and prepare them for careers in ORE project development, environmental consultancy, and industrial development and regulation.

Our programmes

Offshore wind turbine in a wind farm under construction off the England coast at sunset.
MSc Offshore Renewable Energy Engineering
Mutriku wave power plant. Courtesy of Ente Vasco de la Energía
MSc Offshore Renewable Energy
University's wave tank

The COAST Laboratory

The COAST (Coastal, Ocean And Sediment Transport) laboratory provides physical model testing with combined waves, currents and wind, offered at scales appropriate for device testing, array testing, environmental modelling and coastal engineering. 

This is a flexible facility with the capability to generate short and long-crested waves in combination with currents at any relative direction, sediment dynamics, tidal effects and wind. 

The facility is closely aligned with the COAST Engineering Research Group. 

Find out more about the COAST Laboratory

Further information

COAST Engineering research group

COAST Engineering Research Group
UAV Flight over Slapton Sands for Photogrammetry

Coastal Processes Research Group (CPRG)
RRS James Cook berthed at South Georgia during Southern Ocean cruise. ship

Marine Physics Research Group
Marine Station

Marine Station
Supergen ORE Research Landscape

Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy Hub
Sunset Offshore Wind Turbine in a Wind farm under construction of England coast, UK. Image courtesy of Getty Images.  

Offshore renewable energy research

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