Offshore wind farm sets records for size, remoteness

Lehrte, Germany –German utility company,

E.ON Netz GmbH

, is pushing the envelope for wind power generation with its new Borkum-2 offshore wind farm, scheduled to begin operation in 2009. With total capacity of 400 MW, this will be the largest offshore installation, as well as the remotest, located more than 60 miles (100 km) off the coast in the North Sea. E.ON Netz GmbH operates a large portion of Western Europe’s electrical distribution grid, stretching from Scandinavia to Austria.

E.ON Netz has installed a group of wind farms to supplement power generated by more conventional means, contributing to Germany’s position as the world leader in installed wind power generation with more than 20,000 MW. This provides approximately 7% of Germany’s power production, but this proportion is expected to double by 2020. By comparison, the U.S. has more than 12,600 MW installed, which accounts for less than 1%.

Bringing the power back to land will be the task of

ABB

, using its HVDC (high-voltage direct current) Light transmission technology. This approach gives the utility a high degree of control, which is critical given the unpredictability of wind turbine output. “Linking renewable sources of power to the grid can be challenging due to environmental conditions and the distance involved,” says Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. “This project highlights how renewable power sources can be integrated to help combat climate change.”

ABB is responsible for system engineering including design, supply and installation of the offshore converter, sea and land cable systems, and onshore converter. Most of the transmission system will be laid underwater and underground, minimizing environmental impact. HVDC Light offers numerous other environmental benefits, such as neutral electromagnetic fields, oil-free cables and compact converter stations. ABB considers it ideal for connecting remote wind farms to mainland networks without distance limitations or constraints on the grid.A wind farm with 400 MW capacity running at full output is equal to a medium-sized coal-fired plant. E.ON Netz estimates that generating the same amount of electricity by burning fossil fuels would result in emitting 1.5 million tons of CO 2 .

For more, read:

ABB solutions for alternative energy plants

–Edited by Peter Welander, process industries editor Control Engineering News Desk( Register here and scroll down to select your choice of eNewsletters free .)

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