The EU’s Promotion project, part of the Horizon 2020 research programme, is hosting the first of series of events to discuss the opportunities and benefits of a meshed offshore grid in Europe.
It is the project’s first public event and will bring together industry experts, academia and policy makers in Brussels on 29 June.
Promotion was set up in January and will run until December 2019.
It aims to develop and demonstrate three technologies: diode rectifier offshore converters, a multi-vendor HVDC grid protection system, and the full power testing of HVDC circuit breakers.
The project also plans to develop proposals for a regulatory and financial framework to support coordinated planning, construction and operation of integrated offshore infrastructures.
Promotion, which is being coordinated by DNV GL, said currently the high cost of converter technology, a lack of experience with protection systems and fault clearance components hamper the deployment of meshed HVDC offshore grids.
Deployment is also hindered by existing European regulations, as well as national legal and regulatory barriers and financing issues, it added.
Promotion consists of 34 partners from 11 countries – including all major HVDC manufacturers, TSO’s linked to the North Sea, several wind turbine suppliers, offshore wind developers, academics, industry organisations and consultancies.
Image: ABB
