Offshore wind farm development to augment HVDC cable solutions demand
Alternating current or AC systems have long been considered the global standard for transmission of electricity, in residential as well as industrial applications. However, over the past few years, HVDC (high-voltage direct current) cables have emerged as a key alternative to conventional AC transmission systems, given their ability to facilitate power transmission across vast distances with minimal losses.
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While HVAC cables do possess merits such as easier current interruption and simpler voltage transformation, they have certain limitations in longer transmission lines, including voltage instability and subsequently higher losses during transmission. Thus, in the modern era, utilities and industries are inculcating newer technologies like HVDC cables to enhance efficiency, interconnect grids for more load balance, and improve overall system performance.
For long-distance power transmission, especially, HVDC is coming to be considered as a lucrative solution in recent years. According to a study by Global Market Insights, Inc., the HVDC cables market size is poised to exceed $4 billion by 2027, with some decline in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic when construction projects worldwide came to a halt.
One of the most prominent HVDC transmission systems is the Itaipu overhead HVDC transmission line in Brazil, which consists of two 785+ 805 km long DC transmission lines, which operate at +/- 600 kV DC.
High-voltage direct current cables are rapidly emerging as key contributors to the transformation of power transmission networks worldwide. This especially holds in the development of offshore resources, and the subsequent improvement in the compatibility and efficiency of energy systems across the globe.
HVDC cable technology in offshore wind farm development efforts
The importance of offshore wind has increased dramatically over the years. Estimates from WindEurope suggest that the offshore wind capacity in Europe is set to reach 450GW over 30 years.
High-voltage direct current cables are an essential component in the connection of offshore wind farms to cities and locations where the power is used. An increasing focus on expanding interconnection between islands and the rising demand for reliable and secure offshore transmission is thus expected to boost the adoption of underground HVDC cables, which are expected to register a valuation of approximately $130 million by 2027, according to GMI estimates.
Major organizations have started to take targeted efforts to facilitate this offshore energy integration. A notable example of this is Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., which, along with Südkabel GmbH, its technology partner, developed the highest voltage XLPE Insulated underground HVDC cable system for the German Corridor Project, aimed at delivering renewable power generated in Germany’s North Sea to the nation’s southern and central areas.
Sumitomo Electric will take on the design, production, logistics, installation, jointing tasks, commissioning, and maintenance of the 300-km-long HVDC cable network for the Corridor A-Nord project, which will begin construction in 2023.
Meanwhile, in June 2020, KEMA Laboratories tested a hybrid HVDC breaker developed by Hitachi ABB Power Grids, as a part of the “Progress on Offshore Meshed HVDC Transmission Networks” project funded by the EU. The breaker, which utilizes Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ in-house optimized power semiconductors, is designed to address the technical limitations of existing systems, by enabling the HVDC system to sustain a flow of power, even in the event of a fault along one of the lines, by breaking the DC on the line and isolating the issue.
Collaborative growth initiatives contribute to HVDC cables industry expansion
In 2020, three of the largest energy companies in the UK, National Grid, SSE, and Scottish Power inked a partnership to develop the longer undersea HVDC transmission network in the world, running from Scotland to Britain. The huge undersea HVDC “superhighway”, called Eastern Link, will be able to transmit nearly 2 GW of electricity via some of the longest HVDC cables worldwide and will extend from Torness, Scotland to Hawthorne Point and Selby in Northern England.
Similarly, Siemens Energy and Sumitomo Electric united in a joint venture, which in 2021 completed the connection of the first HVDC link in India featuring VSC (voltage-sourced converter) and DC-XLPE cable technologies. The transmission system, with a 2,000 megawatts capacity, consists of two converted stations connected with the help of two links consisting of an overhead transmission line and DC-XLPE cable.
The project was designed to facilitate power exchange between Trichur, Kerala in South-West India, and Pugalur in Tamil Nadu, in order to aid the PGCIL (Power Grid Corporation of India) in countering southern India’s power deficit and improving the stability of the grid.
As consumer inclination across the world continues to move towards the integration of largescale and efficient renewable energy resources, the need for seamless and secure power transmission becomes more integral than ever. In this scenario, many major players in the HVDC cables industry are making persistent efforts to contribute to this transition, by undertaking numerous collaborative strategies and ventures for the development of advanced HVDC cable technology.
