Upon successful completion of this program, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate between conventional, run-of-river, and pumped storage hydropower and their operational profiles.
• Explain the thermodynamic principles and resource requirements for various types of geothermal power plants.
• Assess the technical viability and resource predictability of tidal stream and wave energy technologies.
• Conduct a preliminary environmental and social impact assessment for major water and land-based energy projects.
• Analyze the unique role of these sources in providing dispatchable, baseload power to the grid.
• Understand the regulatory and permitting complexities specific to geothermal and ocean energy exploration.
• Evaluate the economic trade-offs and financing structures for these long-life, high-CAPEX assets.
• Formulate a strategic rationale for integrating these reliable sources into a national energy mix.

• Hydropower and Civil Engineers
• Geothermal Resource Geologists and Drilling Engineers
• Ocean Energy Developers and Maritime Specialists
• Environmental and Social Impact Assessors
• Energy Infrastructure Planners and Regulators
• Investment Analysts specializing in baseload renewables
• Utility Engineers and System Planners

• **Scenarios:** Conducting a preliminary environmental risk assessment for a proposed tidal stream power project in a sensitive estuary.
• **Case Studies:** Analyzing the successful development and subsequent environmental challenges of a major hydropower complex.
• **Group Activities:** Collaboratively determining the best geothermal power plant type (flash vs. binary) for a resource with specific temperature and fluid characteristics.
• **Individual Exercises:** Mapping the required permits and regulatory steps for a new Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) drilling project.
• **Mini-Case Studies:** Rapid evaluation of a new wave energy converter technology for its technical feasibility and grid compatibility.
• **Syndicate Discussions:** Debating the ethical trade-offs between the environmental impact of large hydropower versus its role in grid stability.
• **Resource Assessment:** Analyzing seismic data (conceptual) to identify a high-potential geothermal exploration target.

Unit 1: Hydropower Fundamentals and Systems

• Operating principles of conventional impoundment, diversion, and pumped storage.
• Detailed analysis of dam design, civil engineering, and structural integrity.
• Managing reservoir operations for power, flood control, and water supply.
• The environmental and social impacts of large-scale dam projects (sedimentation, displacement).
• Modernizing existing hydropower assets for enhanced grid flexibility and black-start capability.

Unit 2: Geothermal Energy Exploration and Power

• Geothermal resource types: hydrothermal, enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), and co-produced.
• Operating principles of dry steam, flash, and binary cycle power plants.
• Resource exploration techniques, reservoir modeling, and drilling technologies.
• Managing the environmental risks: seismicity, non-condensable gases, and water use.
• The economics of geothermal, characterized by high CAPEX and low OPEX.

Unit 3: Ocean Energy: Tidal and Wave

• Tidal range technologies: tidal barrages and their environmental impact.
• Tidal stream current technologies and resource assessment.
• Principles of wave energy conversion (WECs) and their various devices (point absorbers, attenuators).
• The technical and logistical challenges of deploying and maintaining subsea energy devices.
• Regulatory and maritime policy frameworks for ocean energy development.

Unit 4: Environmental and Social Governance

• Advanced techniques for assessing ecosystem and biodiversity impacts (fish passage, sediment flow).
• Engaging with local communities and indigenous populations (Free, Prior, and Informed Consent - FPIC).
• Designing mitigation strategies for noise, visual, and ecological disturbances.
• The long-term decommissioning and remediation requirements for these assets.
• Integrating ESG standards into project development and financing.

Unit 5: Market Integration and Future Potential

• Modeling the dispatchable nature of hydro and geothermal in power systems.
• Hybridizing these sources with intermittent renewables (e.g., pumped hydro with wind).
• Cost trends, technological readiness levels (TRL), and global deployment potential.
• Policy and regulatory incentives necessary to scale up ocean and EGS technologies.
• Strategic comparison of LCOE and LCOS for these baseload alternatives.