DigiWIND

Context

Supporting Europe’s digital and green transition, DigiWind will deliver the interdisciplinary Specialised Education Programmes (SEP) needed to future-proof the careers of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) professionals in wind and energy systems through their acquisition of advanced digital skills including the Digital Europe Programme’s (DEP) key capacity areas of High- Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, and other emerging technologies.

Idea

The overall objective of the DigiWind project is to develop interdisciplinary programmes targeting the acquisition of advanced digital skills in wind and energy systems engineering. DigiWind will deliver 16 interdisciplinary SEPs and 50 self-standing Lifelong Learning (LLL) modules combining wind and energy systems engineering with the acquisition of advanced skills in key capacity areas, including core programming skills and a digital mindset.

Speed and flexibility are built into DigiWind through a modular system of three main learning journeys based on: 1) Master of Science degrees; 2) self-paced online Masters degrees; and 3) micro-credentialed Lifelong Learning Modules. The ambition is to educate and certify over 900 Digital Masters students and 10,000 industry professionals over the four-year project cycle. The primary access point for learning experiences will be the DigiWind Virtual Campus – an interoperable platform for the provision of Digital Experiences from the participating Higher Education Institutions (DTU, TUD, NTNU, TUS, PG), Centre of Excellence (CCSE), and Enterprises (F6S, WHIF, IMR, CADP).

Aim

The overall objective of the DigiWind project is to develop interdisciplinary programmes targeting the acquisition of advanced digital skills in wind and energy systems engineering.

Specific project objectives are as follows:

1. Upskilling the wind and energy systems sector with advanced digital competences
2. Attracting qualified teaching staff and students to Specialised Education Programmes
3. Delivering interoperable digital learning solutions, equipment, and infrastructure
4. Establishing structural and sustainable partnerships
5. Further assessment of unmet needs of competencies in the wind and energy systems sector and the integration of digital skills in higher education
6. Promoting computational thinking and digital mindsets
7. Promoting diversity in Specialised Education Programmes
8. Scaling up the education of digital experts in wind and energy systems

Challenge

In the wind energy sector, there is an increasing focus on digitalisation across the entire value chain from turbine design, planning, resource forecasting, manufacturing, asset health and performance management, wind farm revenue optimisation, O&M, grid integration, and end-of-life management/sustainability.

According to Wind Europe (2021), there are five main technology areas currently employed in the wind industry, as also illustrated in Figure 9: Real-time analysis, industrial Internet of Things, diagnostics, predictive/prescriptive analytics, and automation. Given the necessary growth rates outlined in the European energy targets and the clear trends of adoption of digital technologies within the wind energy sector, there is a need to significantly speed up and broaden access to both traditional master’s programmes and LLL modules.

IMR’s involvement in DigiWIND

The DigiWind Project is ambitious, aiming to educate and certify over 900 master’s students and 10,000 industry professionals within four years. Central to this objective is the DigiWind virtual campus, an innovative platform that facilitates access to diverse course modules offered by participating Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Centres of Excellence (CoE), and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

IMR, as a key partner in the DigiWind Consortium, is excited to contribute to this transformative project. Our involvement underlines our commitment to promoting sustainable practices and advancing digital capabilities in the renewable energy sector. The DigiWind Project not only aligns with our organisational goals but also resonates with our mission to support the continuous learning and development of professionals in the STEM fields.

“The DigiWind project represents a visionary step forward in moving from exclusively physical learning environments with traditional PPT-based lectures to more dynamic extended reality and education metaverses that facilitate hybrid environments for curiosity-based learning in the wind energy space. Irish Manufacturing Research are proud to be a contributing partner to this innovative collaborative venture and look forward to assisting our European partners to achieve a successful outcome by facilitating and developing interoperable digital learning solutions delivered through a virtual campus.” Darragh McShane, IMR Project Manager.

DigiWIND Partners

DigiWind brings together an excellent consortium of five world-leading Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the area of wind and energy systems, a research and excellence centre (CoE) specialised in the integration of computing in science education, two SMEs at the intersection of digital technologies and renewable energy, a Large Enterprise in digital skills and education using augmented reality and virtual reality to scale up the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competences, and an experienced SME, representing a global community to drive impactful communication, dissemination, and exploitation.