Research and Markets has announced the addition of the “HVDC Converting Platforms: The Future Transmission System for Offshore Wind” report to their offering.
The rising concern over environmental conditions due to global warming is leading to increased interest in the development of renewable and clean sources of energy. The need for energy security and energy independence is driving governments across the globe to develop and promote offshore wind energy. Future offshore wind farms will be further off the coast and in deeper waters due to the better wind speeds and landscape protection (Fishing and shipping area). In order to explore such a huge offshore wind potential good transmission systems are of the utmost importance.
Today’s installed offshore wind farms have relatively small rated capacities and are placed closer to shore, and High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) technology has been used as the power transmission technology. However future offshore wind farms will be located further off the coast, which means that efficient and cost effective power transmission systems at this distance will be required. High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology has a proven record of efficient power transmission. It has been in use on oil and gas platforms as a power transmission system.
HVDC transmission systems have low transmission losses over long distances as compared to HVAC systems, which makes them the best solution for future offshore grid connections. An HVDC link can also be used for voltage control. Apart from the cost savings, HVDC platforms also help to reduce the environmental impact of laying multiple cables and allow more efficient logistics during installations.
Huge plans for offshore wind have been announced all over the globe. The UK has set targets to achieve 15% of its electricity through renewable energy. Germany has also set a target of 10 GW of energy through offshore wind by 2020. All future wind farms will be located at a greater distance from shore and in deeper waters because of higher wind speed available at this location. The huge number of planned offshore wind farms in the North Sea has triggered demand for HVDC transmission systems. Transmission system operators from different countries are working hard to provide grid connections to schedule.
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Press release, March 21, 2013; Image: heerema