ABB and Aibel have agreed a strategic partnership to deliver state-of-the-art offshore wind integration solutions.
ABB will focus on its high voltage direct current (HVDC) technology, while Aibel will take turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) responsibility for the design, construction, installation and commissioning of the offshore platforms.
The partners will collaborate on the design, engineering and optimization of offshore wind connections.
The integration of power generated by offshore wind farms into national electrical grids requires complex engineering. A key part is the conversion of power from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) for low-loss transmission, often over long distances, to connect remote offshore wind farms to the mainland grid.
This DC power is subsequently converted back to AC once on land and then distributed for consumption. The HVDC system incorporates sophisticated technology to ensure the optimum integration of intermittent renewables and control of power flows. The offshore part of the HVDC system is housed on a specially designed platform.
HVDC remains the technology of choice for transmitting large amounts of power, over long distances, efficiently and reliably and is ideal for the integration of remote renewable energy sources like offshore wind.
ABB is a market leader in HVDC, with an installed capacity of more than 120,000 megawatts – around half the global installed base. This includes 18 of the 24 VSC HVDC projects commissioned worldwide.
“Offshore wind power transmission projects are inherently complex in nature, deploying cutting-edge technologies, and ABB has gained significant experience in this area. This partnership with Aibel will help us to leverage the specialized competencies of both companies and enhance our overall value proposition for customers,” said Claudio Facchin, President of Power Grids.