Development of Real-Time Control Optimization Techniques for Wind Farms Using FPGA and Task-Based Programming

The energy transition towards renewable sources is a major societal challenge. Optimizing wind farm systems is crucial to maximize efficiency while reducing component wear and tear. However, control algorithms for these systems are often computationally intensive and hard to execute in real-time.
This PhD project aims to develop innovative methods to accelerate real-time control calculations for wind farms. The approach will involve using FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) for low-latency and parallelization capabilities, combined with task-based programming techniques to optimize software architecture.

Keywords: FPGA Acceleration, Real-Time Control, Task-Based Programming, High-Performance Computing (HPC), Embedded Systems, Control Algorithms, Parallel Computing

• Academic supervisor    Dr Steven DERRIEN, Lab-STICC, UMR 6285, ORCID : 0000-0002-6281-083X
• Doctoral School    MATISSE, Université de Rennes 
• IFPEN supervisor    Dr Jean-Marc GRATIEN, jean-marc.gratien@ifpen.fr, ORCID : 0000-0003-4721-0366
• PhD location    IFPEN, Rueil-Malmaison, FRANCE  
• Duration and start date    3 years, starting in the fourth quarter 2025 (Novembre 3)
• Employer    IFPEN
• Academic requirements    University Master degree in ) in Computer Science, Electronics, Control Systems, or Applied Physics    
• Language requirements    English level B2 (CEFR)    
• Other requirements    Strong skills in low-level programming (VHDL, Verilog) and C/C++. Knowledge in embedded systems and hardware accelerators (FPGA).

To apply, please send your cover letter and CV to the IFPEN supervisor indicated here below.