The EU has launched a four-year project to boost the development of meshed HVDC offshore grids.
The project, part of the Horizon 2020 Research Program, aims to develop and demonstrate three technologies: diode rectifier offshore converters; multi-vendor HVDC grid protection systems; and full power testing of HVDC circuit breakers.
The Progress of Meshed HVDC Offshore Transmission Networks (Promotion) project will also develop a regulatory and financial framework for coordinated planning, construction and operation of integrated offshore structures.
The framework will include an offshore grid deployment roadmap for the future offshore grid system in Europe.
The project said currently the cost of converter technology, a lack of experience with protection and fault clearance components hamper the development of meshed HVDC grids.
It consists of 34 partners coordinated by DNV GL. They include: Dutch transmission operator TenneT; Danish TSO Energinet.dk; MHI Vestas; Iberdrola; Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission; Dong Energy; Adwen; Statoil; ABB; Alstom Grid; Statoil; and EirGrid.
DNV GL chief executive officer Elisabeth Harstad said: “Combining new HVDC technologies within present systems is instrumental in bringing large-scale renewables into the grid and to ensure a future-proof grid which is affordable, reliable and sustainable.
Image: HVDC cable installation offshore (ABB)
