Gdansk University of Technology to cooperate with EDF in the area of offshore wind energy
The Gdansk University of Technology, the University of Gdansk and the Institute of Fluid Flow Machinery of the Polish Academy of Sciences will work together with EDF Renewables Poland. Among other things, paid internships, participation of scientists in the installation of measurement equipment on operating turbines and the implementation of joint research and development projects are envisaged.
Representatives of the Centre for Offshore Wind Energy of the Gdansk University of Technology, the Centre for Sustainable Development of the University of Gdansk, the Flow and Combustion Centre of the Robert Szewalski Institute of Industrial Machines of the Polish Academy of Sciences signed a letter of intent in June concerning broad scientific and academic cooperation with EDF Renewables Polska (EDF Renewables is a subsidiary of the EDF Group and a world leader in renewable energy). During the inaugural meeting of the cooperation, held in September at the Gdansk University of Technology, the potential scope and possibilities for joint activities were discussed.
– We hope that this will be a long-term cooperation. We are open to developing forms of cooperation that will be most beneficial to all parties. Our aim is to build a multifaceted team. This is the first letter of intent that we have signed with academic centres in Poland in this field, additionally with such high scientific potential,’ emphasises Alicja Chilińska-Zawadzka, President of the Management Board of EDF Renewables Polska.
The cooperation is to take place in three areas:
- student education (among the proposals are paid internships, participation of EDF experts in lectures at universities, master’s programmes related to offshore wind energy),
- research (e.g. making available to universities and scientists cooperating with them the infrastructure of wind farms in Poland for research purposes, participation in a possible pilot of an offshore turbine),
- implementation of joint research and development projects (together with engineers from EDF Renewables and EDF).
– We are counting on the agreement to bring real effects on all levels in the near future – emphasises Prof. Krzysztof Wilde, Rector of the Gdansk University of Technology. – Cooperation in the field of didactics is very important to us, but it is a complementary element for the most important thing, which is the research area. We hope to cooperate at various stages of technological advancement.
– We are happy to have developed this innovative model of offshore cooperation involving three serious research units in our market. We are institutes that complement each other in terms of competence, so we are a serious partner for EDF,’ emphasises Dr Sylwia Mrozowska, Professor UG, Vice-Chancellor for Cooperation and Development.
– We believe that the multifaceted cooperation with the University of Gdansk and Gdansk University of Technology under the agreement concluded with EDF is an added value to the activities of our Institute in the area of offshore wind energy,” said Dr. Marcin Lackowski, Prof. IMP PAN, Director of IMP PAN.
During the meeting, which was also attended by Prof. Dariusz Mikielewicz, Vice-Chancellor for Organisation and Development, Prof. Piotr Doerffer from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Shipbuilding, Dr. Sebastian Susmarski, Director of the Centre for Analysis and Expertise at the University of Gdańsk, and Paweł Flaszyński, Ph.D., Head of the Department of Aerodynamics at IMP PAN, the first activities related to the implementation of the agreement were already established. A coordination council will be set up, consisting of representatives of EDF Renewables, the university and the institute.
Source: PortalMorski.pl
