ABB: increases offshore wind reliability

Offshore wind energy has long been a possibility for renewable energy solutions however it’s been impeded by unreliability as wind is not a stable ever present source of energy generation.

Even for places like Offshore Newfoundland, which is one of the top 10 windiest places on earth, there’s still a consideration of a consistent, steady, reliable, wind source, when considering offshore wind platforms. After all, who knows when the wind blows?

In Germany the DolWin5 Epsilon platform was designed to facilitate the transfer of 900 MW of electricity from three connected offshore wind farms in the North Sea 100 km off the German coast to the onshore grid.

In addition to a converter platform offshore, there is an onshore converter station located in Emden/Ost in Germany.

ABB has wind solutions. They will enable the reliability, safety and security of the energy transmission from DolWin5 Epsilon by providing a comprehensive system for IT infrastructure, OT^[i] security, plant-wide condition monitoring, SCADA^[ii] and remote access services to facilitate stable power transmission to the German national grid.

“This order enables ABB to leverage its expertise in remote, unmanned operations and advanced digital services with the shift to a more diversified energy mix,” said Per Erik Holsten, Managing Director,  ABB Norway. “With our intelligent project delivery experience, ABB is uniquely positioned to assure the safety, security and reliability of renewable assets worldwide. We look forward to supporting the delivery of clean, efficient power for Germany’s energy transition.”

The offshore wind industry may be integral to Europe’s energy system by as soon as 2030,^[iii] with Germany planning to generate 65 percent of electric power from renewable sources by 2030, including 20GW from offshore wind farms.^[iv]

The high risks associated with power disruptions, require effective energy management for offshore wind plants. ABB received the order from Aibel Keppel consortium ANS^[v] in Norway. Aibel/Keppel FELS consortium will design, construct, and build the High Voltage Direct Current transmission system.

TenneT is the European electricity transmission system operator providing power links to the offshore wind farms in the cluster. TenneT has activities in the Netherlands and in Germany, with more than 20 million people relying on the TenneT TSO GmbH electricity supply from offshore wind farms in the North Sea. Initial operations for DolWin5 (Epsilon) are due to commence in 2024.

ABB Industrial Automation ABB’s Industrial Automation business offers a broad range of products, systems and solutions for customers in the process and hybrid industries. These include industry-specific integrated automation, electrification and digital solutions, control technologies, software and lifecycle services, as well as measurement and analytics, marine and turbocharging offerings. ABB’s Industrial Automation business is #2 in the market globally. With deep domain knowledge, experience and expertise, ABB Industrial Automation helps customers increase their competitiveness, improve their return on investment and run safe, smart and sustainable operations. 

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a technology leader that is driving the digital transformation of industries. With a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB has four, customer-focused, globally leading businesses: Electrification, Industrial Automation, Motion, and Robotics & Discrete Automation, supported by the ABB Ability™ digital platform. ABB’s Power Grids business will be divested to Hitachi in 2020. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 144,000 employees.  www.abb.com 

^[i] Operational technology

^[ii] Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) is a computer-based system for gathering and analyzing real-time data to monitor and control equipment that deals with critical and time-sensitive materials or events. Data is gathered, processed and presented, often to issue warnings when conditions become hazardous by sounding alarms.

^[iii] WindEurope,  https://windeurope.org.

^[iv] The Federal Government (Germany), Climate Action Programme 2020, https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-en/issues/climate-action/klimaschutzprogramm-2030-1674080.

^[v] Aibel Keppel consortium ANS is jointly owned by Aibel AS and Keppel FELS Limited.