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Masters · 1600 h · 11 modules
Master's in Tidal and Wave Energy
The Master's in Tidal and Wave Energy provides an exhaustive, multi-disciplinary framework for mastering the complexities of marine renewable energy (MRE). This programme transitions from fundamental fluid mechanics to the deploy
Duration1600 h
FormatOnline
Starts21 December
Places20 / 20
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Programme overview
What is the Master’s in Tidal and Wave Energy?
The Master's in Tidal and Wave Energy
provides an exhaustive, multi-disciplinary framework for mastering the complexities of marine renewable energy (MRE). This programme transitions from fundamental fluid mechanics to the deployment of commercial-scale offshore arrays, ensuring graduates possess the technical rigour required by the global energy sector.
Participants will explore the mechanical and electrical intricacies of Oscillating Water Columns (OWC), Point Absorbers, and Submerged Pressure Differentials, alongside the latest advancements in Tidal Stream Turbines. By integrating hydrodynamics with structural engineering and grid integration, the curriculum prepares professionals to navigate the harsh realities of the marine environment while maintaining high-efficiency power conversion.
Differentiating Advantages & Strategic Value
Applied Technical Mastery: Direct engagement with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and physical wave tank testing to bridge the gap between theoretical modelling and hydrodynamic reality.
Advanced Numerical Simulation: Implementation of industry-standard software (such as ProteusDS or OrcaFlex) to simulate the mooring, loading, and structural response of devices under extreme sea states.
Strategic Industrial Synergy: Deep integration with the marine supply chain, offering insights into the logistical challenges of offshore installation, maintenance, and decommissioning.
Holistic Sustainability & LCA: A focus on the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE), utilizing Life Cycle Analysis to ensure projects are both ecologically sound and commercially viable across their 25-year lifespan.
Global Regulatory Expertise: Analysis of international maritime law, environmental impact assessments (EIA), and the consenting processes required for multi-megawatt offshore deployments.
Programme type
Master's Degree
Study mode
Online
Duration
1,600 hours
Modules
11
Programme highlights
- Master the physics of wave-structure interaction, including linear diffraction theory and the power-capture characteristics of diverse Wave Energy Converters (WECs).
- Technical evaluation of axial-flow and cross-flow turbines, focusing on cavitation limits, tip-speed ratios, and the optimisation of rotor blade profiles.
- Develop full-scale system architectures using CAD and finite element analysis (FEA) to ensure structural survivability against extreme 100-year storm events.
- Implement advanced control algorithms to maximise energy yield in irregular seas while minimising mechanical stress on Power Take-Off (PTO) systems.
- Deploy quantitative tools for monitoring subsea noise, sediment transport, and the ecological footprint of large-scale arrays.
Curriculum
Programme Structure
The programme is structured in 11 modules, listed below in order of study.
01
Physical fundamentals and marine energy resource: characterisation of waves, tides, currents and space-time variability
- Wave dynamics: generation, propagation, spectra, significant height and characteristic periods
- Tidal dynamics: astronomical forcing, amplitude, lags, live/dead tides and harmonics
- Tidal and wave-induced currents: profiles, shear, turbulence and background effects
- Wave–current interaction–bathymetry: refraction, diffraction, breaker and energy sources
- Marine climatology and seasonality: year-on-year variability, extremes and trends of the resource
- Resource metrics: Power per wave front, available energy, capacity factors and persistence
- Data banking and uncertainty: models, buoys, satellite, reanalysis and cross validation
- Preliminary selection of sites: technical, logistical, environmental and access criteria
- Extreme evaluation: storms, design waves, peak currents, and compound events
- Value Chain Introduction: Resource-Capture-Conversion-Evacuation-Operation and Maintenance
02
Tidal conversion technologies: dams, lagoons, current turbines and capture architectures
- Prey tidal: principles, bidirectional operation, gates and generation strategies
- Tidal Lagoons: Watershed Design, Hydraulics, Impact on Local Tides and Optimised Operation
- Turbines in tidal currents: rotors, variable pitch, yaw and cavitation control
- Channeling devices: diffusers, ducts, flow acceleration and hydraulic losses
- Hydrodynamic turbine design: power coefficients, TSR, profiles and partial performance
- Anchor and support: single-piles, jackets, gravity, anchorages and geotechnical requirements
- Farm Interaction: Stelae, Separation, Blocking Effects, and Layout Optimisation
- Sensors and Condition Control: Vibration, Temperature, Load, Corrosion and Remote Monitoring
- Maintenance Strategies: Weather Windows, Underwater Intervention and Logistics of Spare Parts
- Technological comparison: CAPEX/OPEX, maturity, scalability, risks and typical use cases
03
Wave energy conversion technologies: WEC typologies, hydrodynamic capture and control strategies
- WEC Classification: Attenuators, Point Absorbers, Terminators, OWC and Oververt Devices
- Capture Principles: Resonance, Coupling, Capture Width, and Physical Limitations
- Hydrodynamic models: linear potential, radiation/difraction coefficients, and experimental validation
- Platform architectures: floating, semi-submersible, nearshore, onshore and site conditioning
- Control to maximise energy: Reactive control, Latching, MPC and limits for structural loads
- Storm Survival: Survival Modes, Disconnect, Mooring, and Extreme Design Philosophy
- WEC Arrays: Interferences, Spacing, Shadow Effects, and Multi-Variable Optimisation
- Modular integration: Scaling, quick replacement, maintainability and design for real operation
- Reliability and degradation: Fatigue, seals, leaks, biofouling and mitigation strategies
- Performance evaluation: power curves, capacity factors, availability and technical KPIs
04
PTO and electromechanical conversion: hydraulic, linear, generation, storage and power quality
- Hydraulic PTO: accumulators, valves, losses, sizing and thermal management
- Mechanical PTO: Gear trains, connecting rods, inertia, wear and maintenance
- Electrical generators: Synchronous, asynchronous, permanent magnets and linear generators
- Power electronics: rectification, inverters, DC/DC converters and control strategies
- Storage and smoothing: batteries, supercapacitors, flywheels and sizing by resource profiles
- Power quality control: harmonics, flicker, ramp rates and connection requirements
- Marine electrical protection: insulation, grounding, differential protection and selective coordination
- Hybrid architectures: wave+tide, wave+wind, coastal microgrids and operating logic
- PTO testing and validation: banks, instrumentation, efficiency curves and durability tests
- Design for reliability: redundancy, fault tolerance, modularity and maintainability of the power train
05
Offshore engineering and marine structures: materials, fatigue, corrosion, anchors and design for life
- Environmental actions: Wave, current, wind, impacts and load combinations
- Structural calculation: limit states, partial factors, models and acceptance criteria
- Fatigue and cycles: charge spectra, cumulative damage, critical points, and construction detail
- Marine materials: steels, composites, elastomers, compatibility and selection by environment
- Corrosion and protection: galvanic, coatings, CP and maintenance of anti-corrosion systems
- Biofouling and degradation: impact on hydrodynamics, weight, corrosion under deposits and cleaning plans
- Anchoring and Mooring: Catenary, Taut-Leg, Anchors, Connectors and Dynamic Analysis
- Geotechnics and foundations: characterisation of the fund, bearing capacity and scour risks
- Constructibility and assembly: tolerances, accesses, procedures, hoists and industrial safety
- Inspection Strategy: NDT, ROV, Structural Digital Twin and Condition-Based Maintenance
06
Underwater electrical infrastructure and mains connection: cables, substations, interconnection and operation of the park
- Submarine cables: types, sections, losses, mechanical protection and site selection
- Route design: Bathymetry, georisks, crossings, burial and bondage permits
- Offshore/Onshore substations: topologies, transformers, GIS, redundancy and maintenance
- Network connection and codes: technical requirements, modelling, short-circuit studies and stability
- SCADA and communications: architecture, basic cybersecurity, redundancy and data logging
- Protections and coordination: relays, selectivity, islands, reconnection and fault management
- Commissioning and commissioning: FAT/SAT tests, energization, acceptance and final documentation
- Park operation: dispatch, limitations, curtailment and availability strategy
- Loss management and efficiency: Electrical performance, availability, MTBF/MTTR and operational optimisation
- Storage integration: Power control, auxiliary services and delivery profile improvement
07
Ocean measurement, instrumentation and modelling: campaigns, sensors, data and design validation
- Measurement campaigns: design, logistics, permits, weather windows and security
- Wave instrumentation: buoys, radars, coastal lidar and signal treatment
- Current instrumentation: ADCP, profiles, turbulence and data quality
- Bathymetry and geophysics: multi-beam, sonar, sub-bottom and risk characterisation
- Metocean and extreme data: Statistics, GEV, return values and load combinations
- Numeric models: Swan/WW3 (Conceptual), Tide models, CFD (Conceptual) and Selection by case
- Channel and Tank Tests: Similarity, Scaling, Instrumentation, and Extrapolation on Real Scale
- Device digital twin: reduced models, calibration, prediction and support to O&M
- Data Management: Cleaning, Traceability, Repositories, Metadata and Governance
- Performance validation: measurement-model correlation, uncertainty and technical acceptance
08
Marine Environment and Permitting: Impact Assessment, Use Compatibility and Stakeholder Management
- Environmental Assessment Framework: Scope, Baselines, Indicators and Risk Approach
- Impacts on benthic habitats: foundation, burial, turbidity and mitigation measures
- Marine fauna and avifauna: collision, noise, displacement, electromagnetic fields and monitoring
- Submarine Noise: Sources, measurement, thresholds, modelling and control during construction/operation
- Fishing and navigation interaction: compatibility, signage, corridors and conflict management
- Waste and substance management: lubricants, hydraulics, spills and contingency plans
- Environmental Monitoring Plan: Design, Periodicity, QA/QC and Reporting
- Participation and stakeholders: communities, authorities, sea users and transparent communication
- Permitting and licences: regulatory schedule, conditions, compliance and evidence
- Social Acceptance Strategies: Local Benefits, Employment, Training and Reputational Management
09
Economy, Financing and Project Management: LCOE, Contracts, Risks and Commercial Scaling
- CAPEX/OPEX costs: structure, drivers, sensitivity and benchmarking by technology
- LCOE and financial models: WACC, availability, degradation and price scenarios
- Contracts and Procurement: EPC, EPCI, O&M, Guarantees, Performance and Liquidated Damages
- Project Risk Management: Matrix, Mitigations, Contingencies and Governance of Decisions
- Planning and Scheduling: Milestones, Critical Route, Metocean Windows and Multi-Contractor Coordination
- Marine logistics: boats, base ports, hoists, campaigns and mobilization optimisation
- Operation and Maintenance Strategy: Corrective vs Predictive, Spare Parts, Contracts and KPIs
- Insurance and bankability: insurable risks, financier requirements and technical evidence
- Scaling and replicability: standardisation, modularity, supply chain and learning curve
- Comprehensive Business Case: Go/No-Go Decision, Growth Plan and Success Metrics
10
Integrated design, operational safety and reliability: HSE, RAMS, cyber-resilience and emergency plans
- HSE Offshore: Hazard Identification, Work Permits, Lotus and Safety Culture
- RAMS applied: Reliability, availability, maintainability and security with fault modelling
- Failure Mode Analysis: FMEA/FMECA, Criticality, Layer and Traceability Actions
- Maintainability design: ROV/Diver intervention, modularity and repair times
- Operation in adverse conditions: Operating limits, GO/NO-GO and planning by metocean
- Integrity Management: Inspection, Corrosion, Fatigue and Structural Integrity Program
- Industrial Cybersecurity: SCADA, Segmentation, Access Control and Incident Response
- Emergency plans: spills, power failures, loss of mooring and SAR/authority coordination
- Quality and Assurance: QA/QC, documentation, acceptance and audit
- Dismantling preparation: End of life, recycling, obligations and early planning
11
Master’s Final Project in Tidal and Wave Energy
- Choice of topic and definition of the research problem
- Formulation of objectives, hypotheses and scope of work
- Review of the state of the art and specialised bibliography
- Analysis of the applicable regulatory and technical framework
- Design of the methodology and the work plan
- Data collection, processing and validation
- Technical development and analysis of results
- Discussion, conclusions and future lines of work
- Drafting of the memory in accordance with academic standards
- Presentation and public defence before the Court
Workload
Study Time and Workload
1600 hours of study, online and at your own pace. Move the slider to the hours a week you can really put in.
Hours a week8
Weeks to finish—
You finish around—
Who it is for
Offshore & Structural Engineers:Specialise in the design, mechanical conversion, and structural integrity of tidal turbines and wave energy converters. Environmental & Marine Scientists:Acquire advanced methodologies for Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and ecological monitoring of offshore arrays. Electrical & Grid Integration Specialists:Focus on the technical challenge
Faculty
Academic direction and faculty
The teaching team at Navalis: working professionals who deliver and oversee the institute's programmes.
Eng. Diego Cifuentes
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)
Dr. Pau Ferrer
Dr. Nuria Llobregat
Eng. Javier Bañuls
Eng. Sofía Marquina
Eng. Tomás Riera
Verified reviews
Student Reviews
Reviews collected and verified by Opynio, not written by us.
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
- 01Mastery of Marine Hydrodynamic Theory
- 02Engineering for Extreme Environments
- 03Optimisation of Energy Conversion Systems
- 04Deciphering the Techno-Economic Landscape
- 05High-Fidelity Computational Modelling (CFD & FEA)
- 06Strategic Environmental & Regulatory Management
Careers
Career Opportunities
01Offshore Design and Development Engineer: Engineer high-performance components and subsea systems for tidal and wave energy conversion, prioritising structural survivability and hydrodynamic efficiency in extreme maritime environments.
02Marine Energy Project Manager: Direct the strategic planning, technical execution, and multidisciplinary supervision of large-scale offshore energy parks, ensuring full alignment with LCOE and CAPEX objectives.
03Technical and Economic Energy Consultant: Provide expert advisory on marine energy feasibility, executing rigorous resource optimisation studies and financial risk assessments for international investors and energy consortia.
04R&D Innovation and Technology Researcher: Lead advanced research initiatives to enhance ocean energy conversion efficiencies and develop next-generation digital twins for seamless integration into national electrical grids.
05Offshore Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Specialist: Oversee the lifecycle management and predictive maintenance of marine energy assets, utilising IoT diagnostics and ROV protocols to minimise downtime and operational expenditure.
06Strategic Environmental Impact Analyst: Execute comprehensive ecological assessments and develop robust mitigation strategies for offshore projects, ensuring strict compliance with international biodiversity and maritime laws.
07Technical Sales and Business Development Manager: Drive the commercialisation of cutting-edge tidal and wave technologies, fostering strategic partnerships between technology providers and global renewable energy developers.
08Energy Policy and Regulatory Affairs Manager: Architect and implement regulatory frameworks to accelerate marine energy adoption, navigating complex international technical standards and government sustainability mandates.
Questions
Entry Requirements
The energy of tides and waves.
Yes. The itinerary includes ECDIS/Radar-ARPA/BRM with harbor, ocean, fog, storm, and SAR scenarios.
Online with live sessions; hybrid option for simulator/practical placements through agreements.
The energy of tides and waves.
Recommended functional SMCP. We offer support materials for standard phraseology.
Yes, with a relevant degree or experience in maritime/port operations. The admissions interview will confirm suitability.
Optional (3–6 months) through Companies & Collaborations and the Alumni Network.
Simulator practice (rubrics), defeat plans, SOPs, checklists, micro-tests and applied TFM.
A degree from Navalis Magna Institute + operational portfolio (tracks, SOPs, reports and KPIs) useful for audits and employment.
Online admissions
Admissions Process
No waiting for a phone call. If your documents are complete, you can pay in the same session.
Entry requirements
```htmlAcademic/Professional Profile:Bachelor's/Undergraduate Degree in Engineering (Energy, Mechanical, Civil, Naval), Physics, Environmental Sciences, or related field; or demonstrable professional experience in the energy or maritime sector.Recommended Prior Knowledge:Fundamentals of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity, and electronics. Knowledge of renewable energies and mathematical modeling will be valued.Language proficiency:B2 level of English (CEFR) for understanding technical documentation and participating in international projects.
Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
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