Postgraduate Diploma in Grid, Converters and Control of Marine Power Plants
Online Postgraduate Diploma of 800 h in Grid, Converters and Control of Marine Power Plants. 8 modules covering Regulation (EU) 2016/631 (requirements for grid connection of generators, RfG), IEC 61400-21 (power quality of wind turbines) and MATLAB/Simulink. Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Postgraduate Diploma in Grid, Converters and Control of Marine Power Plants — studying from New Zealand
Maritime engineering is significant for New Zealand, given its extensive coastline, large exclusive economic zone and a strong sailing and boatbuilding tradition. Auckland, often called the City of Sails, hosts boatbuilders, marine service providers and offshore engineering firms, while Maritime New Zealand regulates safety at sea. Opportunities include naval architecture, offshore energy and aquaculture, and the New Zealand Defence Force's naval fleet supports further demand.
Fees for New Zealand: NZ$1,770 (New Zealand dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in New Zealand
Typical roles
Questions from New Zealand
Which New Zealand bodies regulate marine and offshore engineering?
Maritime New Zealand regulates maritime safety and the operation of vessels, and Engineering New Zealand is the professional body for engineers. Marine surveying and certain roles require recognised certificates issued by official bodies. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so they do not replace these requirements.
Do marine and offshore employers in New Zealand value private qualifications?
New Zealand has active marine, boatbuilding, port and offshore sectors, particularly in Auckland and the Bay of Plenty. Employers usually prioritise recognised certificates, licences and practical experience. A SEIUM qualification may support an application, but whether it is valued is for each employer to decide.
Can I study this part-time from New Zealand?
Yes. The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so no student visa is needed to study from New Zealand. You are assigned a technical tutor and must complete a final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Programme lengths range from 300 to 1,900 hours.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Describe the electrical architecture of a marine power plant.
Analyse the topology and operation of power converters.
Design generator and turbine control loops.
Assess compliance with grid connection requirements.
Configure plant control for active power, reactive power and frequency.
Coordinate protection systems to improve plant reliability.
Plan electrical certification tests for the plant.
Who it's for
- Power electronics engineer wishing to specialise in Grid, Converters and Control of Marine Power Plants.
- Grid connection engineer wishing to specialise in Grid, Converters and Control of Marine Power Plants.
- Renewable plant control engineer wishing to specialise in Grid, Converters and Control of Marine Power Plants.
- Electrical protection engineer wishing to specialise in Grid, Converters and Control of Marine Power Plants.
- Offshore electrical systems engineer wishing to specialise in Grid, Converters and Control of Marine Power Plants.
- Wind turbine certification engineer wishing to specialise in Grid, Converters and Control of Marine Power Plants.
- Graduates in engineering or science looking to enter offshore wind.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) 2016/631 (requirements for grid connection of generators, RfG)
- IEC 61400-21 (power quality of wind turbines)
- IEC 61400-27 (electrical simulation models for wind turbines)
- IEC TS 62600 (wave and tidal energy converters)
- IEC 61850 (substation communication)
- DNV-ST-0145 (offshore substations)
- IEC 62271 (high-voltage switchgear)
8 modules · 800 h
1.1Offshore wind, wave and tidal power plants1.2Electrical architecture of a marine power park1.3Synchronous, induction and permanent magnet generators1.4Medium-voltage collector networks between turbines1.5Offshore substation1.6Alternating and direct current transmission1.7Subsea cables and earthing1.8System losses and efficiency1.9Availability indicators1.10Case study: electrical architecture of a 500 MW park
2.1IGBT and SiC semiconductors2.2Back-to-back converters2.3PWM and SVPWM modulation2.4Full-power converters and DFIG2.5LCL filters and harmonics2.6Converter cooling in marine environments2.7Modular multilevel converters (MMC)2.8HVDC converter stations2.9Reliability and failure modes2.10Laboratory: simulation of a back-to-back converter
3.1Maximum power point tracking3.2Torque and speed control3.3Pitch control3.4Generator vector control3.5Oscillation damping3.6Control in wave energy converters3.7Predictive control in wave energy technologies3.8Mechanical load management3.9Integration with the SCADA system3.10Practical: MPPT control in MATLAB/Simulink
4.1Grid codes: Regulation (EU) 2016/6314.2Fault ride-through (FRT) operation4.3Reactive power and voltage control4.4Frequency control and inertial response4.5Power quality and harmonics4.6Load flow studies4.7Short-circuit studies4.8Transient stability4.9System operator requirements4.10Workshop: grid code compliance verification
5.1Central plant controller5.2Active and reactive power dispatch5.3Coordination between turbines and substation5.4Wake effect and collective control5.5Production forecasting5.6Energy storage and management5.7IEC 61850 and IEC 61400-25 communications5.8SCADA and control centre5.9Cybersecurity of plant control5.10Case study: plant control under operator curtailment
6.1Generator and transformer protection6.2Subsea cable protection6.3Earthing systems6.4Protection coordination6.5Converter faults and their management6.6Maintenance in the marine environment6.7Electrical condition monitoring6.8Availability analysis6.9Electrical safety in offshore environments6.10Practical: protection coordination study
7.1IEC 61400-21 power quality standard7.2Certification of simulation models7.3Converter test bench testing7.4Voltage dip testing7.5Validation of dynamic models7.6IEC TS 62600 standards for marine energy7.7Type and project certification7.8Electrical commissioning7.9Reports to the system operator7.10Case study: validation of a plant model with real measurements
8.1Definition of site and technology8.2Electrical architecture8.3Converter selection8.4Control strategy8.5Grid integration studies8.6Protection plan8.7Test plan8.8Techno-economic analysis8.9Report and presentation8.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded lessons and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which allows them to combine it with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, PSCAD/EMTDC, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, PLECS, ETAP, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for converter hardware-in-the-loop testing, grid code compliance studies and voltage dip testing. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the electrical architecture of a marine power plant.
Analyse the topology and operation of power converters.
Design generator and turbine control loops.
Assess compliance with grid connection requirements.
Configure plant control for active power, reactive power and frequency.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Spanish-language proficiency sufficient to follow technical standards reading.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours spread over 6 to 8 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, compatible with full-time work.
The programme uses MATLAB/Simulink, PSCAD/EMTDC, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, PLECS, ETAP. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM on passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official Ministry qualification.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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