LUREG

Lancaster University Renewable Energy Group (LUREG), based in the Department of Engineering, carries out research into conversion of energy from water sources, including waves and tides of the sea and land-based hydro power. Aspects of renewable energy production such as system condition monitoring and economics also form strong research themes.

Waves, tides and hydro are plentiful sources of energy globally, and more especially for the UK, which is surrounded by the sea and benefits from generous rainfall. Off the west coasts of the British Isles there is a vigorous climate of sea waves. Tidal variations in sites such as the Severn Estuary are among the highest in the world.

Wave and tidal power devices are by their nature almost entirely submerged beneath the water surface. Consequently, they are almost invisible, and do not suffer the opposition that is often aroused by wind-turbine installations, for example. A second bonus is that, for given power output, water-based devices are generally smaller than those based on wind or other sources, because water is 800 times more dense than air.

Current research projects in the group are funded from a variety of sources, including research council, regional development, European Union, industrial and individual sources, and range from single projects conceived and developed within the department to multi-million multi-institutional national scale projects.

We encourage enquiries from individuals to institutes to make use of our excellent facilities and expertise in the field of renewable energy. Whether it's proof of concept testing or more in-depth model validation, LUREG welcomes the opportunity to work with external researchers and developers of renewable energy devices.