Zhara.
.
Definitely the first. The use of solar energy is a matter of cost, so any breakthrough technology will take this energy to the top of the modes of production.
.
I say this because the relationship between the energy produced by current methods of solar energy and available energy efficiency is still very low, so there's really much to be gained. A survey of solar power is not only a search is a free horizon to be explored.
.
I agree with Immanuvel. Either one can be fascinating and can have a big impact if deployed in the appropriate place. I recommend you focus on finding out which one peaks your curiosity. Both solar and ocean power have many manifestations. Solar can be very focused on material science, the thermodynamics of solar thermal, or control theory as it applies to heliostats, etc. Wave power is similarly diverse. You could focus on tidal, hydro, break water, or others.
It's far out, but try to think about what your day-to-day life after grad school will be like in the various fields. At the same time consider whether you're most drawn to academia (teaching, focused research), industry research (more practical, commercial), or entrepreneurship (most freedom, high uncertainty).
My dear Zhara..
.
As I am a retired teacher and I had along my career more than 3000 students, I feel responsible for the younger ones.
.
I see that there are encouraging words to the other doings in your doctoral studies in any area that you have interest and properly they say if you work carefully and tenacity you will have success.
.
But unfortunately in the life is not all that. When you finish your doctoral studies, if you are intelligent and industrious you will certainly succeed in your work, but over time you will see the validity of your work within the local and regional context.
.
Your university is situated in North Africa, where insolation is abundant and there are already projects in power generation for export, it is important that exporting countries have technology domain of the exported product not to be dependent on other countries or continents, just the obvious, the evident and is responsible working in this area. Leave to countries more to the north, where the sun is weak and solar power generation will never be as abundant as in North Africa, the research of wave energy.
.
I say this from my own experience, I researched a long time on a subject in which there was no local industry, I seized a lot, but if I had dedicated my time to a matter of edge, but application to the reality of my region probably would not have a little frustration.
.
Read carefully the wise advice of Eugenio Urquiza. Especially the last paragraph, are words of wisdom.
I agree. Pick the one where your passion is. But if you are equally passionate about both, then go for the one with the most potential global impact. To find the answer to that question, read this:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/224092572
Article Keeping the Energy Debate Clean: How Do We Supply the World'...
Dear Immanuvel,
I do agree with Mr. Abbott. As I know, wind power is used more than solar, but, the growth rate of using solar power is the first among the other renewable energies (about 40%).
Best.
Dear Zahra
Was a teacher, I should advice you to choose what you like most. The two fields you refer are very interesting and both are growing quickly, so my best advice is to you to decide what you prefer. Studying for a Phd is a hard task, so the better is to do it with pleasure.
I hope that I’ve helped you…
Regards
From my point of view solar power is better area for research than wave power because of a lot of research expected in this field. Another area is wind energy power, you can think for phd. Any how it depends on your interest but energy research work is really interesting field to do research work. Even i am also planning to do research work as phd in energy field specially in solar or wind power.
Dear Zahra.
.
Do not exist commercial systems for power generation by waves up to the present day. Despite massive government incentives systems for power generation by waves never really took off. There are several experimental facilities that simply do not work continuously.
.
Furthermore, we can not say that it is an innovative system, the first systems tested are 1897 (Wright of Manhattan Beach Wave Motor) and 1909 (Edwards Wave Motor of Imperial Beach). It is much easier find a way to increase the yield of solar panels at 100% than putting in place something that is already research 110 years ago and has never worked.
.
I think we should be serious in ReserchGate not advise people to go into projects doomed to failure, for more public funding it receives for this.
.
We have to admit that not all regions have public funds to do experiments to satisfy the Ego of researchers, let us leave it to California and to the European Community (Or other places where there is money to spare!).
.
Caro João Garcia.
.
Vou responder em Português, quem quiser que traduza. Me espanta muito que uma pessoa que fala de um país que gerou o último maior falhanço na geração de energia por ondas, resultando no fim um prejuízo ao Estado Português de 1.250.000,00 Euros para as máquinas funcionarem 3 meses, venha aconselhar alguém que faça estudos doutorais numa tecnologia que se tem revelada um fracasso nos últimos 110 anos!
.
Não sei qual será o prazer de chegar no fim de quatro anos de trabalho duro e verificar que tudo foi em vão?
.
Passion and motivation are the first things that need to push a researcher.
These two things together keep alive the curiosity and encourage people to go forward in our understanding
For all.
.
Many here emphasize the researcher's freedom to satisfy your desires and your curiosity, words like passion, desire, and personal interest are repeated, but I think that science, especially applied research and development should be borne in mind that other factors not hedonists attitudes should not guide the search.
.
Many researchers, because they worked hard and studied continuously, are with the privilege to impose his personal desires to undertake research. Might even say that sooner than later will bring their research results to the community in general, but these forget the definition of economics: as the science that studies the use of limited resources between alternative uses for the purpose to get the best results.
.
If researchers are in is because someone paid for it, and these people usually pay us trusting that we are doing something for the public benefit. There must be a State that defines what we should do, but ourselves through judgment conscientious and adult, weighing our wishes and desires with social returns.
.
Perhaps the term "social return" smite some ears of those who think being above society, or think that this is linked to some ideology, but we must not forget that totally or partially, searches are made with money coming from taxes. Important: every day that passes these researches become more sophisticated and more expensive.
.
So sorry those who give more emphasis to the wishes of the researchers, but search just to prove that this or that work is the application of unworkable reality for me is not research is wasteful and naïf.
.
Dear Colleague
You can not define the research in relation to money. There are some distinctions. What is social for me is not to others. Then on a theme which energy work for money or for a social SERVING? The question posed in this way is not correct. A young researcher will have the greatest ideals seesigenze not intervene to change his life has the right and duty to carry out his thoughts in a non-coercive. The question about the type of activities to be performed if it is placed for the development of knowledge has its own dignity but if placed by one economic or career development becomes mortifying. I'd rather have the energy or any other primary good in fact likely to become a common good is free. It will be emphatic but not always that which is moved by money is useful for the community. Researchers such as Fermi and perhaps Einsetin have followed paths dictated by curiosity or convenience? So thanks for this discussion
There are useful things that can be done related to wave research, I'm not sure wave energy is one of these - because of the engineering difficulties, but I have an open mind. Other technologies like OTEC, started almost 1 century ago did not immediately succeed commercially. If you really want to study ocean waves, then it may be more fruitful to think about it in the context of ocean engineering: for oil platforms or floating windmills, there are still interesting opportunities for research. I also think that solar power is where research may have the biggest impact, but as a fluid mechanics / geoscientist, there is not much I can contribute myself into it. So yes, research is about the mission of your employer and the people that have invested into you, but also about what you are best at. People do not ask Usain Bolt to run the marathon (he would do it faster than most of us) ... so it is also up to the researchers to find where their abilities and tastes will make a worthy impact.
I think that wave power is a more original and innovative topic for a PhD research
Wave power is a specific field that hasn't been explored in detail yet. Exhaustive information or publications might not be found as the field is still young. Solar power is a diverse but hot field with a lot of research focused on it. The latest research and reviews provide abundant information. This field is on a brink of a major breakthrough in terms of efficiency and applicability. In my opinion, if you are fascinated by tidal power and are comfortable with more exploration and less previously discovered data, go for it. If you want a great deal of information of past and current research to get a platform and focus on getting a breakthrough, go for solar power.
I think like this; wave power easier for analysis, you will find difficulty in designing that can not be directly applied to research your location.
solar power is more difficult in its design, too many to be analyzed to obtain absorption of sunlight, any model that will be developed, because it is in need of adequate intensity at certain locations.
I also think that wave pover and its aplications are more PhD topics and still unexplored ...!
Best regards in researching!
Regards from Slovenia.
I think that the solar power, by increasing the efficiency is great. The use of graphene in the solar power field sounds good.
In both solar and wind power, many questions are yet to be answered and explored.
My suggestion for you is to select an area (solar or wave or some other renewable) which has more demand and necessity in your country or many countries...
Hi
I think Solar power which is more efficient way of tapping energy in a rural setup. Moreover, it is economical too..
.
To all.
.
Have several people who are placing wave energy as something new and unprecedented, I call attention again (even making me boring) the first installations of exploitation of energy of the waves in California dating from the late nineteenth century early twentieth century XX (http://www.outsidelands.org/wave-tidal.php) more precisely 1886 with the same principles of current research.
.
The conversion problems are solved by mechanical methods and how researchers and engineers of the nineteenth and twentieth century had a better knowledge of mechanical principles than current researchers and engineers I have the absolute conviction that waste time on something that for 140 years has proved an absolute failure is really a waste of time and money.
.
Moreover installations of solar energy are developing rapidly soon making a doctoral study on the subject of a much greater chance of success.
.
Several commentators speak as a doctoral thesis as a mere exercise of EGO satisfaction of the researcher if it did not involve time and money getting all financing agents on account of the researcher until I agree, but its not the case.
.
My view is entirly different on this issue. I advise depends on location. Where you are located should the main criteria. If you want to go for wave power, sea coast should not be far away from you, because you need frequent visit. Moreover, the coast nearby should be an edle location for tidal power with some creek or with high waves in most of the times. If solar power, then it should be economic to your location. Some old existing installations nearby.
If you are asking about generally then solar power area is more vast as compare to wave power and that have big scope for future energy generation.
But if somebody looking forward for pursuing phd so irrespective of all the things whether that persons area of interest is not much vast or dont have scope they have to go with that because they ill give their best in phd so just carry on with your own area it dosent matter about scope.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Engineering
- Thermal Engineering