Master Thesis Proposals
Presented here are thesis proposals for students, supervised by staff at the Renewable Energy group.
The scope of these proposals can be adjusted and are equally suitable for students from the 5-year integrated masters (30sp) and the 2-year master’s program in Physics (60sp)
The Renewable Energy group currently have the following project proposals:
- Wind measurements using LiDAR (new, June 2023)
- Local cloud climate and its impact on solar energy production
- Turbulence-resolving wind climate simulations with impact on wind energy production
- Bifacial solar cells for flat roofs
- Small scale energy production in Northern Norway (posted May 2022)
- Atmospheric icing on structures (updated, June 2023)
- Energy survey at Ballstad Slip AS, Lofoten (posted, May 2022)
Wind measurements using LiDAR
Supervisor: Yngve Birkelund, yngve.birkelund@uit.no
Posted: June 2023
Background
Fakken wind power plant was built in 2012 with 18 Vesta V90 wind turbines a 3MW, and it has an average yearly production of 138GWh. Troms Kraft production owns the park, and several master and PhD students have used data from this park in their work at UiT. Currently, the owner is looking into expansion possibilities for the wind park, and during spring 2023 UiT, UiB and Troms Kraft had two LiDARs placed in the terrain to measure wind phenomenas in the park
Project description
In this project the student will
- learn about LiDAR measurement systems
- analyse data from the LiDAR at Fakken wind power plant
- analyse wind profiles, wind resources from fixed points and horizontal scans
- compare and verify measurements with numerical weather model data
External collaboration
Troms Kraft Produksjon
Local cloud climate and its impact on solar energy production
Supervisor: Igor Ezau, igor.ezau@uit.no
Background
Energy production by photovoltaic panels (PV) is sensitive to attenuation of incoming solar radiation by clouds. Clouds are highly variable in space and time. Attenuation in clouds depends on their micro-physical properties, altitude, and thickness. Satellite imagery reveals complex spatial organization and fine-scale structures in cloud fields. Both organization and structure of cloudiness are of primary importance for solar energy production as well as for forecasting of energy output. Although in situ cloud observations are sparce and models do not reproduce spatial organization of clouds, satellite observations provide sufficiently detailed high-resolution information to study local cloud climate. E.g., the MODIS cloud mask data product could be used to build-up 20 years of 1 km cloud climate assessment globally..
Project description
Using MODIS, Sentinel, LandSat and other high spatial resolution satellite cloud products, the candidate will:
- Create a cloud climatology for a variety of selected Norwegian PV sites
- Retrieve attenuation of solar radiation by different clouds comparing actual production and predictions of global radiation models
- Suggest the best locations for the selected Norwegian PV sites
Turbulence-resolving wind climate simulations with impact on wind energy production
Supervisor: Igor Ezau, igor.ezau@uit.no
Background
Energy production by wind turbines is sensitive to interaction between wind and turbulence over complex terrain. Winds are highly variable in space and time. Turbulence transport momentum (and energy) downward making it accessible to wind turbines. But turbulence also creates wind gusts and changes wind direction. Turbulence-resolving (large-eddy simulation) models can help with more accurate assessment of wind climate as well as with more accurate prediction of wind fluctuations in complex terrain where other models fail. Turbulence-resolving model PALM is now under active development and testing. It includes modules for simulation of both physio-morphological properties of terrain and wind turbines. Its application to the real wind farms needs more studies.
Project description
Using PALM for wind simulation of a selected period, the candidate will:
- Setup PALM for simulations of the Fakken wind park
- Use wind data from MET.NO to identify the wind regimes at the park
- Simulate wind climate at 10 m resolution for a subset of wind regimes
- Evaluate short-term wind prediction with PALM
Bifacial solar cells for flat roofs
Supervisor: Tobias Bostrôm, tobias.bostrom@uit.no
Background
Description
External partner
OverEasy
Small scale energy production in Northern Norway
Supervisor: Yngve Birkelund, yngve.birkelund@uit.no
Posted: May, 2022
Background
Local energy production is expected to be growing market. The decreasing price for installation of solar cell modules, availability of scale wind turbines, the use of combined power and heat bio energy and run-of-river hydro power can provide sustainable and decentralized energy systems for the future. UiT has been contacted by the owner of a property in Målselv kommune which would like to invest and install an energy system. The property is approximately 660k square meters (660 dekar), contains both cultivated land and forest areas, and covers both flat land and a nearby mountain.
Project description
In this project the student will
- investigate the potential for solar, wind, hydro and bio energy at the site
- investigate technical solutions for small scale energy production
- calculate investment cost as well as yearly cost and revenue
External collaboration
Land owner
Atmospheric icing on structures
Supervisor: Yngve Birkelund, yngve.birkelund@uit.no
Posted: May 2023, updated: June 2023
Background
Human activities are increasingly extending into the high north areas of the Nordic region, where structural icing is a concern from operational, maintenance, safety, and financial perspectives. Structural icing events do not only take place in the Nordic region but are also an issue for other cold regions across the world. UiT recently got funding from the Research Counsel of Norway to the nICE project which aims to establish a multi-disciplinary icing centre to address scientific and technological issues related to icing on structures. nICE involves researchers at several departments at UiT, and a total of 2 postdoctor and 4 PhD positions have been hired to build up this activity.
Project description
The nICE project at UiT is mainly about atmospheric icing on infrastructure, and this master project will contribute with
- Field measurements of meteorological parameters from stations and UAVs
- Analyze data from numerical weather models
- Investigate icing models on structures
- Investigate of icing on wind turbines
Energy survey at Ballstad Slip AS, Lofoten
Supervisor: Yngve Birkelund, yngve.birkelund@uit.no
Posted: May 2022
Background
Project description is under development. Possible project tasks
- Energy use/savings in buildings
- Charging stations for vessels/customers
- Solar energy potential