ABB powers China’s first offshore wind farms
168 turbines at two offshore wind power sites will be equipped with ABB's SafeRing/SafePlus gas-insulated RMU and switchgear technology.
China has officially announced that it is committed toproducing at least 100 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2020. To reach thisgoal, the first two installations in what is probably the world’s largest cleanenergy project — the 102 megawatt (MW) Donghai Bridge and the 201 MW JiangsuXiangshui — are nearing completion. All 168 turbines across these two projectswill be equipped with ABB power products.
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China’s goal is to supply 15% of its energy needs from renewable sources such as offshore wind power by 2020. Source: ABB.
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With a 14,500-kilometer coastline and most of its population
centers and manufacturing zones clustered along the seaboard, China has a
huge potential and ready market for converting offshore wind into emission-free
energy.
Jiangsu province in particular, which lies north of
Shanghai, has been designated by the government as the country’s main offshore
wind power location, and it is here, in both Jiangsu and Shanghai, that the
country’s first two installations are located. The 102 MW Shanghai Donghai Bridge will consist of 34 turbines, each
with a rated output of 3 MW; and the Jiangsu Xiangshui project will comprise
134 1.5 MW turbines. Both parks are scheduled to be fully operational by 2010
and 2011 respectively.
ABB products used in these two projects comprise a
complete and integrated ring main unit (RMU) and switchgear solution. These
products are considered critical to the protection of the turbine electrical
systems, and ABB says it has customized the products for these projects to the
needs of China’s
offshore wind power market.
Based on ABB’s SafeRing/SafePlus gas-insulated RMU
and switchgear technology, the solution is reported to be half the size of
conventional alternatives. ABB says its SafeRing/SafePlus products are built to
withstand the corrosive effects of the harsh offshore environment without
scheduled maintenance and offer low environmental impact — the components are
reportedly 98% recyclable.) The SafeRing/SafePlus products are delivered to the sites as a completely sealed system with a stainless
steel tank containing all the live parts and the switching equipment.
Access other Control Engineering contentrelated to wind power control:
- Videoplant tour: The heart of a wind turbine
- Greenenergy: Rooftop unit generates electricity in moderate wind
- Intertekreleases safety certification for wind turbine gearbox
– Edited by David Greenfield , editorial director
Control Engineering Sustainable Engineering News Desk
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