ABB and Aibel are to supply the offshore converter platforms and HVDC power transmission system for SSE and Equinor’s 3600MW Dogger Bank offshore wind farms off the east coast of England.
Under the terms of the deal, Aibel will deliver two HVDC offshore converter platforms for the 1.2GW each Creyke Beck A and Creyke Beck B projects, while ABB will supply its HVDC light converter system to the same projects, connecting the offshore wind farms to the UK power grid.
Both companies also have options to provide platform and transmission solutions to Dogger Bank’s Teesside A project, which will be confirmed in due course, SSE and Equinor said.
Each project will have a single HVDC transmission link connection between the turbine arrays and the onshore transmission network.
ABB will provide the HVDC converter systems at either end of each link, with Aibel providing the associated offshore platforms.
This will be the first use of HVDC technology in the offshore wind market in the UK.
Aibel’s converter platforms will have a steel jacket structure and no living quarter or helideck.
The platforms will be normally unmanned, operated from shore and accessed only by a service operations vessel, the developers said.
ABB’s HVDC light convertor system will convert alternating current (AC) at 66kV from each wind farm to direct current (DC), before transmitting it onshore via HVDC transmission links to an onshore convertor station where the transmitted power will be converted back to 400kV AC for export to the National Grid substations at Creyke Beck in east Yorkshire and Lackenby in Teesside.
SSE Renewables director of capital projects Paul Cooley said: “Dogger Bank is truly a pushing new boundaries in the provision of ground-breaking technology to deliver low-carbon energy generation to help achieve the UK’s net zero ambition by 2050.
“The appointment of Aibel and ABB as project partners will ensure that the latest grid solution technology is deployed to support our successful project delivery.”
Equinor vice president for Dogger Bank Halfdan Brustad said: “This is an important milestone for Dogger Bank with a groundbreaking HVDC technology solution enabling a competitive solution for offshore wind at a long distance from shore.
“This will be the first offshore HVDC solution in the UK which opens up new markets and opportunities.
“The appointment of Aibel and ABB demonstrates cross industry collaboration bringing best expertise into a successful Dogger Bank delivery.”
Dogger Bank Wind Farms project director Steve Wilson said: “We are pleased to have selected industry leaders Aibel and ABB to partner with us on the delivery of Dogger Bank, and we look forward to working with both companies to deliver the power grid solutions that will connect the world’s largest offshore wind farm to the UK transmission network.”
Aibel president and chief executive Mads Andersen said: “This is an important strategic milestone for Aibel.
“With this award, we confirm our position as a preferred supplier in the European offshore wind segment and strengthen our position in the ongoing energy industry transformation.”
ABB Power Grids president Claudio Facchin said: “Winning the contracts from SSE Renewables and Equinor for the landmark Dogger Bank project underscores ABB’s innovative offshore wind technology and expertise.
“It also highlights the success of ABB Power Grids’ customer partnerships, both on design optimization as well as on the business model level.
“ABB is committed to delivering sustainable solutions with pioneering technologies and in the Dogger Bank project we are helping to make offshore wind competitive and thus contributing to a stronger, smarter and greener grid.”
Dogger Bank is a 50:50 joint venture between Equinor and SSE Renewables.
The project is now moving towards final investment decision, expected in 2020.
SSE Renewables will lead the development and construction phases and Equinor will lead on operations once completed.