The EGL1 project will see the creation of a 525kV, 2GW HVDC (high voltage direct current) subsea transmission cable from Torness in East Lothian, Scotland to Hawthorn Pit in County Durham, England, enabling the transmission of renewable green energy to power more than two million homes across the UK.

Utilities SP Transmission (SPT) and National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) selected the suppliers to provide engineering works and technology for HVDC converter stations, which form the terminals for the HVDC cable and convert the direct current to the alternating current used in the onshore transmission network.

“As the consortium leader, we are delighted to be chosen as a preferred supplier together with our partner MYTILINEOS in the development of a new subsea electricity superhighway, the Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) project,” said Philippe Piron, CEO at GE Vernova’s Grid Solutions business.

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This latest milestone for the EGL1 project follows the recent announcement of Prysmian Group being selected as the exclusive preferred bidder for the HVDC cabling contract.

The HVDC cable system is approximately 190km in length with converter stations at either end to connect it into the existing transmission network infrastructure.

HVDC technology provides the most efficient and reliable means of transmitting large amounts of power over long distances subsea, according to NGET.

GE Vernova’s Grid Solutions business will be providing HVDC valves and controls systems, as well as HVDC transformers from their facilities in Staffordshire, UK.

UK minister for nuclear and networks, Andrew Bowie said: “We have a world class renewables sector that help us power Britain from Britain with reliable, clean and affordable energy for families and businesses.

“With investment in renewables rising by 500% since 2010, we must continue to transform our electricity network to ensure we can move power from where it is generated to where it is needed. Projects like this will do just that and help us to grow the economy, reduce bills, achieve net zero and strengthen our energy security.”

Added EGL1’s project director Peter Roper: “This is a critical time for the energy sector as it drives the transition to net zero.

“GE Vernova’s Grid Solutions business and MYTILINEOS as preferred suppliers, are leading specialists in this high technology field and bring considerable expertise in delivering the infrastructure required to meet the UK’s future energy needs and net zero targets.”

The upgrade includes three further subsea links between Scotland and England, of which this joint venture is the first.

Following final approval of regulatory allowances from Ofgem, full contracts for EGL1 are expected to be complete later this year with construction work due to begin in 2024. The project’s targeted operational date is 2029.

The project is expected to provide enough capacity to power more than two million homes, if granted regulatory approval by regulator Ofgem.

Once complete, EGL2 will run from a new converter station and landfall point at Sandford Bay, Peterhead, under the North Sea, to a landfall point at Fraisthorpe, on the East Yorkshire coast. Once onshore in England, it will run underground to a new converter station next to Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire.

Consents have now been granted for all the onshore and offshore elements of the project by all three local planning authorities, as well as by both the Marine Management Organisation in England and Marine Scotland, in Scotland.

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Specifically, four planning elements have been considered by local authorities and marine management organisations:

• Consent for a converter station and new pylon compound, in Peterhead, Scotland. Planning Permission in Principle was granted by Aberdeenshire Council for the HVDC converter station and for a pylon compound joining the high-voltage underground cable to the overhead line.
  
• Consent for subsea cable in English and Scottish Waters, whereby marine licences have been granted by both the Marine Management Organisation and Marine Scotland respectively for EGL2’s 436km subsea cable.
  
• Consent for underground cable in East Yorkshire, England, with full planning permission granted by East Riding of Yorkshire Council for the majority of the project’s onshore underground cable. The planning application was submitted by National Grid Electricity Transmission.
  
• Consent for a new converter station and section of underground cable in North Yorkshire, England, with outline planning permission for the HVDC converter station, located adjacent Drax power station, and full planning permission for the section of onshore cable in North Yorkshire granted by North Yorkshire Council.

Sarah Sale, EGL2 deputy project director, said: “This renewable electricity superhighway is vital in supporting the UK’s transition to net zero and decarbonisation and we’re thrilled to be making such a significant contribution with the largest electricity transmission reinforcement project in the UK.”

Construction is expected to begin in 2024, with a targeted operational date of 2029.

Construction is underway on the €2.8 billion ($3.1 billion) NeuConnect project, which is considered to become one of the world’s largest interconnectors once complete.

NeuConnect is led by investors Meridiam, Allianz Capital Partners, Kansai Electric Power and TEPCO.

The project will include 725km of land and subsea cables being laid between the UK and Germany, allowing up to 1.4GW of electricity to flow in either direction.

It’s considered to be an essential energy link connecting two of Europe’s largest energy markets for the first time.

NeuConnect reached Financial Close in July 2022 and since then site surveys and archaeological activities have been carried out.

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Work is now underway across the NeuConnect project, including:

• Onshore drilling: NeuConnect’s cabling contractor Prysmian is starting Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) works on the Isle of Grain site in the UK. The HDD works will allow the subsea cables to be brought on-land, and have been selected for the UK site to help minimise the impact on the surface and to the local environment.
• UK Converter station works: further inland from the HDD works in the UK, NeuConnect’s contractor Siemens Energy has now started works on attenuation ponds and the construction of a main access road that will link to the new electricity converter station. The construction of the UK converter station will start next year.
• Offshore surveys: Alongside onshore works, ‘pre-installation’ offshore survey works are now underway to prepare the route for subsea cables to be installed in the future. The first phase of subsea cable installation will start next year.
• Cabling production: Separate to the major works now underway in the UK, the production of 725km of cabling is now well underway at Prysmian’s factory in Arco Felice, Italy and Sumitomo’s factory in Osaka, Japan.
• Site works in Germany: Work is making good progress on an access road that will connect to the new converter station in Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony, northern Germany. Major construction in Germany will start early next year.

NeuConnect is expected to be operational by 2028 and will deliver a net reduction in carbon emissions of over 13MtCO2 over 25 years.

Miguel Berger, German ambassador to the United Kingdom, said: “NeuConnect is a key project to support Germany and the UK in achieving their climate targets and to boost energy security. It is the largest Anglo-German infrastructure project and will enable us to share excess power – preventing renewable energy from being wasted.

“NeuConnect’s 725km power highway will be the first direct energy link between the UK and Germany. With construction underway in Kent, and major construction due to start early next year in Wilhelmshaven at the German end, speedy progress can be expected.”

Originally published on Power Engineering International.

The transaction sees IPTO acquire up to 25% of the share capital of the project promoter, Cypriot-based company EuroAsia Interconnector Holdings Limited.

The EuroAsia interconnector, initially announced in 2021, is a €2 billion ($2.2 billion) major energy project to build the first transcontinental subsea electricity interconnection, linking Greece with Cyprus and Israel.

The project will lay a 1,208km high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable which, upon completion, is expected to be the longest in the world.

IPTO’s official entry into the project, through Greece, ensures the “technical and financial adequacy of the project and lays the foundations for its timely completion,” state the ministries of energy of Greece and Cyprus in a joint press release.

IPTO has been assisting the project since 2021 as a technical consultant, advising on design and providing financial support.

Their quarter stake equity participation is expected to accelerate the signing process with selected contractors for submarine cables and conversion stations in Crete and Cyprus.

Completion of the project, expected by 2027, will mark the electrical interconnection of Cyprus – the last non-interconnected EU member state – with the European transmission system, ensuring for the island an energy shield.

And Israel, which the ministries state does not have any electrical interconnection with its neighbours, will strengthen its security of supply, gaining the possibility to increase renewable penetration within its energy system.

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright advised IPTO on their participation in the project.

Ed’s note: Why the EuroAsia Interconnector is important

Commenting on the announcement was minister of energy, trade & industry of Cyprus, George Papanastasiou, who noted: “This development marks the successful completion of a milestone towards the implementation of the strategic project of the Greece-Cyprus-Israel electrical interconnection, which further strengthens the cooperation of the three countries in the field of energy and remove the ongoing energy isolation of Cyprus.

“This interconnection is a key element for the achievement of our country’s wider energy planning to reduce the cost of electricity for the benefit of the Cypriot economy and for a rapid transition to green energy. I would like to thank the Greek Government for its support and, of course, the European Commission for the funding.”

Added minister of environment & energy of Greece, Thodoros Skylakakis, who commented on how IPTO’s participation in the project “is a very positive milestone for the deepening of strategic relations cooperation of Greece-Cyprus-Israel. Greece has been a reliable and systematic supporter of the efforts of the Republic of Cyprus, in terms of strengthening the maturity of its electrical interconnection with the European energy market.

“This happened from the first inclusion of EuroAsia in the list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI) in 2013 until the reinforcement of the project in 2021 with €657 million ($719.9 million) from the Connecting FundEurope Facility (CEF). We are, in particular, satisfied with the successful conclusion of the negotiations and remain ready to contribute, further, to the implementation process of the project.”

Greece-Cyprus-Egypt

The announcement of IPTO’s participation came three weeks after Israeli Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Israel Katz, and the Cypriot Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, George Papanastasiou, discussed the importance of electricity interconnection.

The ministers committed to initiating technical discussion through two expert groups for electricity and gas pipeline interconnection with the aim to convene in July.

Said minister Papanastasiou: “We discussed about how the current energy crisis highlights the need for energy diversification, security of supply and increased interconnectivity, and we agreed to expedite our discussions in various levels, in a result-oriented manner in order to create a reliable energy corridor from the Eastern Mediterranean.

“In this framework, we focus on the electrical interconnection between Cyprus and Israel as well as how Cyprus can serve as a Gateway for Israeli gas to Europe.’

Added Minister Katz: “The enduring alliance and shared vision between Israel and Cyprus resonate powerfully, and in the present era, the energy sector assumes a pivotal role as a bedrock for fortifying the bonds between our nations.

“With great anticipation, I eagerly look forward to forging ahead, achieving significant milestones in our collaborative endeavours spanning the domains of natural gas and electricity.”

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Greece-Bulgaria

IPTO’s acquisition also follows the completion of a Greece-Bulgaria electrical interconnection, which IPTO announced earlier last week.

IPTO and the Operator of the Bulgarian Electricity Transmission System ESO EAD energized the 400kV electrical interconnection between Greece and Bulgaria; energy transmission through the new Line commenced on Friday, June 30.

This is the second Transmission Line connecting the two countries, which increases the margin for energy exchanges between the neighbouring systems of Greece and Bulgaria.

In the following period, a permanent working group staffed by all Operators in the region will determine the new, gradually increasing, available amounts of transmission capacity on the Greece-Bulgaria border.

The new line is expected to start contributing to cross-border trade from the end of Greece’s summer season.

The total length of the international interconnection, which starts from Nea Santa EHVC in Rodopi and ends at Maritsa East Substation in Bulgaria amounts to 151km, out of which approximately 30km extend within the Greek Territory.

The second interconnection between Greece and Bulgaria, the domestic part of which cost €11.3 million ($12.4 million), is a project of pan-European interest that was included since the beginning of its planning in the Ten-Year Development Program (TYNDP) of ENTSO-E as well as in the list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI) of the European Union.

Commented Greek minister of environment and energy, Theodoros Skylakakis: “The second, international ultra-high voltage electrical interconnection of Greece-Bulgaria, is an important energy project of pan-European interest.

“The immediate benefits of this cooperation include: enhancing cross-border trade and strengthening energy security in Southeast Europe and the Balkan Peninsula. More international interconnections will follow, which will further upgrade our country on the European energy map”.

Added chairman and CEO of IPTO Manos Manousakis: “IPTO in cooperation with the Bulgarian Operator have completed an important energy project that greatly increases the interconnectivity of the two countries and strengthens adequacy on a regional level.

“With a strategic goal to upgrade the country’s position on the European energy map, over the coming years IPTO is launching new international interconnections with all neighbouring states while at the same time supports major intercontinental interconnection projects in the Eastern Mediterranean, with Greece being the main hub.”

The three High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) links from Hitachi Energy will provide the new Saudi smart city NEOM, with a total power capacity of up to 9GW.

9GW in HVDC for the smart Saudi city

“We are delighted to strengthen our collaboration with ENOWA and Saudi Electricity Company in order to power one of the most visionary development projects of all time,” said Niklas Persson, managing director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business.

“As the world progresses towards a more sustainable future, our expertise and HVDC technologies are true enablers of the electrification of the global energy system and the transition to renewables.”

The agreements include the order of one of the world’s first 3GW, 525kV HVDC Light transmission system, which will connect Oxagon, NEOM’s regional development, with the larger Yanbu area more than 650km away in Western Saudi Arabia.

Hitachi Energy’s scope of supply includes design, engineering, procurement of HVDC technology and commissioning of the HVDC Light converter stations.

Saudi Services for Electro Mechanical Work (SSEM), a Saudi EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) specialised in power, water and industrial projects, will design and supply the Alternating Current (AC) equipment and perform construction and installation.

The converter stations convert the power from AC to DC, then back to AC for integration into the receiving grid.

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The converters will be sourced by and supplied to SEC, who were contracted in 2022 by ENOWA to act as their EPCM to build this first HVDC system for NEOM.

Further to this, Hitachi Energy and ENOWA have signed an early works and capacity reservation agreement for two additional HVDC projects, each rated up to 3GW, aiming to develop a new scalable and modular regional network design.

The cooperation will also explore opportunities to develop local competencies in the Kingdom, including ways to sustainably assemble the necessary HVDC Light components locally.

“By securing the first capacities for such an important part of our future grid in only one year since the decision to use this technology, we show ENOWA’s commitment to supporting Saudi Vision 2030 in collaboration with Saudi Electricity Company and Hitachi Energy,” said Thorsten Schwarz, Executive Director of Grid Technology & Projects, Energy of ENOWA. 

Smart city NEOM aims to be powered by 100% clean energy through renewable solar, wind and green hydrogen-based energy. The region is designed to be a blueprint for sustainable urban living with minimal impact on the environment and enhanced liveability.

To this end, the New England – Maritimes Offshore Energy Corridor (NEMOEC) coalition, in partnership with Power Advisory LLC and DNV, has released a white paper titled A New England – Maritimes Offshore Energy Corridor Builds Regional Resilience for a Clean Energy Future.

The paper discusses the potential benefits of a 2000MW shared transmission link between Nova Scotia and New England, Canada, connecting offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine (New England) and in Nova Scotia with load centres in the two regions via a new HVDC transmission intertie.

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The coalition consists of DP Energy, Total Energies SBE US, Northland Power, Hexicon, Atlantic Canada Offshore Developments, Bear Head Energy and Grid United.

The members aim to deploy modular, multi-terminal, HVDC offshore networks that are designed with future expansion in mind. According to the whitepaper, “the standardization and modularization of parameters ensure compatibility between different offshore platforms and enable interconnection of platforms to build out an offshore transmission backbone network.”

Economic and environmental benefits of a US-Canadian transmission corridor

The whitepaper highlights several benefits of the transmission project, including market integration and optimisation, reduced reliance on natural gas and the accompanying price volatility, as well as balancing benefits such as balancing cost and forecast error and reductions from the wind resource diversity due to lower variability of wind, and reduced curtailment from the use of the NEMOEC facilities to flow excess power to load centers.

The study further emphasised the environmental benefits of the project, such as lower emissions, and reduced disruption to marine life and local communities.

Economic and environmental benefits for a 2,000MW transmission line are estimated to be between US$620 and $780 million per year, according to whitepaper calculations.

Next steps

The whitepaper will act as a basis for interactions with policymakers to aid policy amendments and changes to the regulatory framework to facilitate the development of the US-Canadian transmission corridor.

The coalition is in the process of engaging with stakeholders, as well as identifying areas where further research and study are required.

Also, potential market barriers and opportunities are being identified, such as the availability of offtakers and long-term funding.

The complexities and ambiguities of US and Canadian permitting procedures must also be ironed out.

According to Octopus Energy, the investment serves as a validation of Xlinks’plans to lay the world’s longest High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea cables between the UK and Morocco, passing Portugal, Spain and France as part of the Morocco – UK Power Project.

Through the project, Xlinks will supply the UK with 3.6GW of renewable energy-sourced electricity amounting to nearly 8% of the nation’s current requirements and enough to power seven million British homes by the end of the decade.

The UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero established a team to work with Xlinks to consider the merits of the project and understand how it could contribute to the UK’s energy security.

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The electricity will be generated in the Guelmim Oued Noun region of Morocco by a 10.5GW facility of solar and wind farms, supported by 20GWh/5GW of battery storage.

The facility will be connected to the UK power grid in Devon, South West England, via four 3,800km subsea HVDC cables, which will be manufactured in the UK.

Simon Morrish, CEO of Xlinks, said: “Xlinks’ ambition is to supply British households with secure, affordable, and green energy all year round. With this investment and support from our partners TAQA and Octopus, along with the support received from both the UK and Moroccan Governments, we take another step toward achieving that ambition.

“The huge potential of the Morocco – UK Power Project will help the UK accelerate its transition to clean sources of power, increase energy security and reduce consumer bills.”

Greg Jackson, CEO and founder of Octopus Energy Group, added: “This partnership between Xlinks, TAQA and Octopus enables us to drive forward one of the most visionary energy projects in the world.

“When people ask ‘how will you power heat pumps and electric cars when it’s not windy?’- this is a big part of the answer. This is a new global industry, and the UK and our partners can do it first, helping cement Britain as a leader in the transition to low-cost renewable energy – bringing down bills, powering industry and creating green jobs both in the UK and Morocco.”

Initially announced last year in May, the project is one of a number of first-of-a-kind long-distance renewable energy generation and cross-border export projects being planned globally, addressing the growing demand for firm power capacity.

One other such interconnector project, LionLink, was announced last week by National Grid and TenneT to leverage North Sea offshore wind in a UK-Netherlands interconnection.

The projects form part of a programme to connect 22GW of clean energy in the Netherlands and Germany.

The contracts were doled out as part of TenneT’s 2GW programme, which will see the 11 projects connect 2GW of renewable capacity via a new standardised platform and certified cable system with a higher transmission capacity.

Awarded contracts

Hitachi Energy and Petrofac were awarded five Dutch projects that will be connected in Borssele (IJmuiden Ver Alpha, Nederwiek 1), Eemshaven (Doordewind 1 and Doordewind 2) and Geertruidenberg or Moerdijk (Nederwiek 3). This partnership will also realise the German connection LanWin5 that will be connected in Rastede.

The first contract under their framework, for the Ijmuiden Ver Alpha project, was awarded with immediate effect. The second, Nederwiek 1, is expected to be awarded later in the year. Projects Doordewind 1, Doordewind 2, Nederwiek 3 and LanWin5 are expected to be awarded over a 2024-2026 timeframe.

Hitachi Energy and Petrofac’s contracts total approximately €13 billion ($14.1 billion).

In consortium with Sembcorp Marine, General Electric (GE) Renewable Energy’s Grid Solutions business was awarded three contracts to the tune of €6 billion ($6.5 billion) to be connected in Maasvlakte, Rotterdam (IJmuiden Ver Beta, IJmuiden Ver Gamma and Nederwiek 2) in the Netherlands.

The IJmuiden Ver projects will be located about 62km off the coast of the Netherlands, their contracts to come into effect immediately, while the Nederwiek project will be located 95km off the coast, coming into effect in 2024.

The second consortium sees GE join McDermott on two contracts in Germany for €4 billion ($4.3 billion) – the BalWin4 and LanWin1 projects that will be connected in Unterweser, located approximately 160km off the coast of Germany and will connect in Unterweser. Both contracts are expected to come into effect in April 2023.

According to TenneT, the awarded suppliers will start preparatory work for the realisation of the projects with immediate effect to ensure that all projects can be delivered by 2031.

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Project scope

Each of the connection systems has a capacity of 2GW and a voltage level of 525kV – a world-first for offshore wind.

TenneT’s agreement with Hitachi Energy includes an initial commitment to deploy six renewable integration systems, five of which will connect offshore wind farms to the Dutch grid and the sixth to the German grid. 

The landmark framework agreement is the largest ever, both for Hitachi Energy and Petrofac.

Hitachi Energy will supply its HVDC Light converter stations, which convert AC to DC power offshore and DC to AC onshore. Petrofac will undertake the Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (EPCI) of the offshore platforms and elements of the onshore converter stations.

Regarding GE’s two consortia, GE Grid Solutions will be responsible for EPCI of the 2GW bipolar HVDC converter stations for all projects.

GE Grid Solutions’ Stafford facility in the West Midlands, UK, will manufacture the primary HVDC sub-systems and equipment, while its facility in Berlin, Germany, will lead overall project management.

GE’s consortium partner Sembcorp Marine, a Singapore-based global marine and offshore engineering group, will design, build, install and commission the offshore platforms, which will host the GE converter systems and equipment for the three Dutch transmission projects.

McDermott of the US, a global provider of engineering and construction solutions, will design, fabricate, install and commission the offshore converter substation platforms for the two German 2GW HVDC grid connection systems.

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Connecting 40GW offshore

The total five contracts for the GE consortia are among 11GW contracts awarded to HVDC suppliers by Tennet as part of its goal to connect 40GW of offshore wind farms to the high voltage grids in the Netherlands and Germany.

TenneT’s large-scale project resulted from the Esbjerg Declaration in May 2022 at the North Sea Energy Summit, where Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium agreed to jointly install at least 65GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 – up from 20GW today – to accelerate Europe’s energy security following recent geopolitical developments.

TenneT plans to install 20GW each in the Dutch and German North Sea.

Tim Meyerjürgens, TenneT COO, said: “We are delighted to be working with GE and their consortium partners as part of our task to connect 40GW offshore wind in the North Sea, one of the most important infrastructure projects of the century.

“TenneT has the technical know-how, scale and geographical position to connect wind energy from the North Sea, while GE and its consortium partners have the HVDC expertise.

“Together, with the GE consortia and other HVDC partners we will accelerate the development of the offshore grid, thereby strengthening Europe’s energy security and putting Europe on track to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050.”

The Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) is a joint stock company, subscribed to by the six Gulf States. Its formations aims to allow the sharing of operational and spinning reserve, enabling higher efficiency in the operation of electric power production stations.

Once upgraded, the Al-Fadhili station will be able to exchange up to 1,800MW of electricity between the states.

The station serves a special purpose of maintaining the stability of the connected grids and, through GCCIA’s partnership with the global tech provider, the upgrade project will replace hardware and software with Hitachi Energy’s MACH control and protection system, which they tout as the brain behind HVDC links.

“Security of electricity is something society often takes for granted, but it is special systems like the Al-Fadhili converter station which keeps the power flowing, is essential for the economy and well-being of the local society,” said Niklas Persson, managing director at Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business.

On inking the deal, Ahmed bin Ali Al-Ibrahim, CEO of the Gulf Electrical Interconnection Authority, said that the project will contribute to strengthening the electrical interconnection expansion projects adopted by the authority, which aims to increase the reliability of energy in the Gulf network and make it more efficient.

“The project represents great opportunities to exchange energy, especially in light of the increase in the capacity of the electrical connection to achieve economical operation of the network, especially during the summer, and also to increase the security and stability of the network and reduce interruptions.”

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HVDC upgrades

HVDC systems are commonly used for large-scale transmission and exchange of electricity over large distances between two HVDC converter stations.

However, the Al-Fadhili HVDC converter station is a back-to-back system in a single location. Such stations utilise the digital controllability of an HVDC system to precisely manage the flow and properties of the electricity supply, which Hitachi Energy states as providing many benefits for grid control and stability.

In addition to this upgrade and the other ongoing projects, Hitachi Energy and GCCIA are strengthening their collaboration to build a resilient interconnection grid by developing standardised base designs for high-voltage direct current and Alternating Current (AC) transmission systems to interconnect countries.

The Al-Fadhili converter station started its operations in 2009 as part of a project to interconnect the power grids of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Luna Innovations, which develops advanced optical technology in the US, yesterday announced the contract. Luna’s tech is hoped to help ensure safe, efficient delivery of renewable, reliable, low-cost power over the area’s almost 500km transmission line.

The project will decrease wholesale electricity costs – saving residents of the metro area $17.3 billion over a 30-year span ‐ and reduce CO2 emissions in the region by an estimated 3.9 million tons in its first full year of operation.

Luna’s fibre-optic-based monitoring systems use distributed temperature sensing, depth sensing, and distributed acoustic sensing technology to detect potential fault locations in electric power cable systems.

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In this instance, the company’s sensing systems will detect compromised areas in or potential threats to the transmission line.

Understanding the exact location of compromised areas of the project’s High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cable will reduce both repair time and down time for end users and increase overall safety and operability.

“We know from organisations like the World Resources Institute that cities are a core driver of climate change, accounting for more than 70% of greenhouse gas emissions,” said Scott Graeff, President and CEO of Luna.

“Fibre-based monitoring systems play a key role in ensuring that clean, sustainable energy can be delivered safely and efficiently to major metropolitan areas over cable transmission lines like the one in this project.”

The Hypergrid network, a grid modernisation project, is being touted by the TSO as one of the main features of their development plan.

The project will leverage HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) transmission technologies to modernise existing power lines on the country’s east and west backbones, down to the South and the Islands, alongside new 500kV undersea connections.

In this way, the performance of these lines will be increased, their environmental impact reduced and more power generated by renewables in Southern Italy and transmitted towards high-load areas in the North.

Through the project, exchange capacity will double from the current 16GW to over 30GW. According to Terna, development of the direct current backbones will also minimise land use and environmental impact of their transmission grid.

Terna’s 2023 Development Plan

The €11 billion project constitutes more than half of the TSO’s energy transition budget in their Development Plan, totalling €21 billion ($22.3 billion) and consisting of four action plans:

• Increased exchange capacity between zones
• Infrastructure synergy
• Enabling renewables
• Grid resilience

The TSO is calling it their most ambitious plan yet, aiming over the next decade to accelerate the energy transition, promote decarbonisation across the country, reduce dependence on foreign supply sources and increase the environmental sustainability of the Italian electricity system.

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Over 30 projects are catered for by the plan and Terna will adopt a modular approach to develop a flexible investment model in the hopes of developing new grid infrastructure that reflects the actual energy scenario.

For this reason, planning and authorisation procedures for the new Hypergrid projects will be launched so that they can be implemented in line with system priorities.

The Plan was presented yesterday by CEO Stefano Donnarumma during a press conference with Chairwoman Valentina Bosetti, attended by Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, and Stefano Besseghini, President of ARERA, the Italian Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and Environment.

Said Donnarumma, as quoted by Terna on Twitter: “The investments included in the 2023 Development Plan are the highest ever envisaged by Terna and will enable the energy transition and the achievement of the objectives that Europe and Italy have set for themselves in a decisive way”.

The base designs will be the initial areas of focus for the collaboration, which will develop the areas of electrification, renewable power generation and low-carbon initiatives worldwide, and will connect offshore wind farms and Equinor production facilities to mainland power grids.

The scope of the agreement – which is aimed at accelerating the energy transition and advancing a more flexible and secure energy system – covers the complete spectrum of Hitachi Energy’s portfolio of power grid technologies and solutions.

Specifically, it includes IdentiQ, Hitachi Energy’s digital twin for HVDC and power quality solutions; Grid-eXpand modular and prefabricated offshore and onshore grid; OceaniQ solutions, such as transformers and high-voltage products; and grid automation solutions to bolster onshore and offshore electrical asset operations.

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“Standardisation of technical solutions will be a key to succeed, and we look forward to improving together with Hitachi Energy,” said Geir Tungesvik, executive vice president for Projects, Drilling and Procurement at Equinor.

“Equinor has a clear strategic direction to develop even closer collaboration with key suppliers vital to realising our projects. We are very pleased to enter into such a relationship with Hitachi Energy, which will shape how we work together for many years to come,” added Mette H. Ottøy, chief procurement officer at Equinor.

According to Equinor, the partnership builds on the two companies’ long collaboration over many decades, which has seen Hitachi Energy provide Equinor with power grid solutions and pioneering technologies on several projects, such as Dogger Bank A, B and C, the world’s largest offshore wind farm on completion, and Troll A, the world’s first HVDC power-from-shore connection.

The contract will see Vattenfall deliver grid connection infrastructure for the Norfolk Boreas Offshore Wind Farm off the British coast.

As part of the contract, Siemens Energy and Aker Solutions will be responsible for engineering, procurement, construction and installation of the HVDC onshore and offshore substations and connection to the National Grid.

Helene Biström, head of business area wind at Vattenfall, stated on the project, “We are very proud of this deal, which is an important step forward to fossil free living within one generation and a major opportunity for supply chain companies to contribute to one of the largest offshore wind zones in the world.”

Hauke Jürgensen, senior vice president high voltage grids at Siemens Energy, added: “The expansion of renewable energy is more important than ever – in order to achieve the energy transition, and to curb the threats of climate change, but also to increase energy security. We look forward [to working] with Vattenfall and Aker Solutions to accelerate the development of offshore wind”.

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Norfolk Boreas

Located 47km off the Norfolk coast in south east Britain, with an installed capacity of 1.4GW, Norfolk Boreas is the first phase of Vattenfall’s Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone. It will deliver its first power in 2027.

Once complete, the Zone can produce renewable energy equivalent to the needs of over four million households and save up to six million tons of carbon dioxide.

Kenneth Simonsen, senior vice president of offshore wind energy at Aker Solutions, said: “The development of Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone could require up to three HVDC platforms in succession, which would provide more long-term predictability and positive repeat effects and standardisation for the supplier industry.

“We are proud to support a project which meets the dual objective of developing local content while delivering low cost, green electricity to homes and businesses across the UK.”

According to Vattenfall, HVDC technology offers one of the most efficient means of transmitting large amounts of power over long distances.

The High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cables aim to increase and bundle electricity transmission capacities, reduce environmental impact, improve security of supply, and expand and develop energy resources and supply chains.

“With our second large-scale EU tender this summer, we as a cross-border transmission system operator are once again giving the offshore market an important boost in terms of investment security, employment and the plannable development of resources and supply chains,” stated TenneT COO Tim Meyerjürgens. “At the same time, the framework agreement secures cable orders for at least ten offshore grid connections in the German and Dutch North Sea for our innovative 2GW programme.”

TenneT plans to agree a second cooperation with key market partners for a period of up to eight years.

This agreement covers the 525kV subsea cables for laying between the offshore converter platforms in the North Sea to the coast, as well as the underground cables from the coast to the onshore converter stations.

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On this, Meyerjürgens explained: “TenneT had already published its first large-scale EU tender in the offshore sector in June. This tender focused on the offshore converter platforms and the onshore converter stations. That was the first step, and now we are following up with another large-scale tender for our innovative 525kV cable system.

“Together, the two tenders offer a holistic and concrete action plan to further accelerate the offshore grid expansion in the North Sea as Europe’s wind power plant. With our new 2GW standard for offshore grid connection systems, we have provided the blueprint for this grid expansion. With our framework agreements, we are now initiating the necessary market approach to deliver safely and sustainably – in time, scope and budget.”

Security of supply during times of war

According to the TSO, Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine and the ensuing energy and commodity crises have increased the challenges in transitioning to a sustainable energy system.

As the countries confirmed in the Esbjerg Declaration, the North Sea offers the potential to become Europe’s green wind energy powerhouse. An integrated offshore energy system in the North Sea is thus key to achieving energy transition and energy independence.

At present, TenneT‘s connection capacity is around 7.2GW in the German North Sea and around 2.8GW in the Netherlands‘ North Sea. Their 2GW programme will play a crucial role in managing the energy transition from offshore and help Europe become the world’s first climate-neutral continent.

It further aims to provide a blueprint for future offshore grid connection systems and enable faster deployment. The larger capacity of 2GW per system is stated by the TSO to reduce the number of grid connections required.

Additional project partners include Global Energy Interconnection Research Institute and C-EPRI Electric Power Engineering Co. (GEIRI / C-EPRI).

BorWin6

BorWin6 is the fifth offshore grid connection for offshore wind farms in the German North Sea that has been constructed under the direction of TenneT. Scheduled for delivery and commissioning in 2027, the system will transmit 980 megawatts of wind power. It will include 235 kilometers (146 miles) of lines divided between land and sea: about 190 km (118 miles) of sea cables and 45 km (27 miles) of land cables. The wind power produced at sea will be converted into direct current at a converter station, transported to the shore and converted back into three-phase current at a land-based converter in Büttel (Schleswig-Holstein) and fed into the extra-high voltage grid.

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TenneT said the system uses an innovative 66-kV direct connection, whereby the wind turbines are connected directly to the offshore platform via 66-kilovolt three-phase cables. This means that a separate — and costly — wind farm transformer station is no longer required.

McDermott’s role

McDermott will provide engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) services for the platform, located 190 kilometers (118 miles) off the German coast on the Platform North Sea Cluster 7 in a water depth up to 131 feet (40 meters). 

Electricity generated from offshore wind farms (to be commissioned at a later date) will be converted into direct current and transported to an onshore converter station located 28 miles (45 kilometers) onshore near Büttel, Germany.

McDermott will lead the consortium with its main focus on the converter stations.  GEIRI / C-EPRI will provide the electrical engineering work. McDermott will fabricate the topside in Qingdao, China, and the jacket in Indonesia.

According to Tim Meyerjürgens, COO of TenneT, the project is an example of the ongoing cost reductions in offshore wind grid connection systems. “We are also applying the smart platform concept by installing particularly low-maintenance technology on the offshore platform. This enables us to reduce the maintenance effort and ultimately the operating costs of the asset,” he said in a press release.

Next steps

The contract for the production and laying of the cables will be awarded before the end of this year, said TenneT. In addition, construction of the land station in Büttel has been planned and will begin in 2024. Construction of the topside, i.e. the actual converter station at sea, which will be built in Qing-dao (China), is expected to start in mid-2023. Construction of the jacket in Batam (Indonesia) will also start at the end of 2023. The jacket will form the substructure on which the platform will be placed, probably in mid-2026, said TenneT.

In 2023, horizontal drillings are also planned to underpass the land protection dike (near Büsum) and the Kiel Canal; the land cable will be laid in 2024 and 2025, and the subsea cable in 2025 and 2026.

Originally published by Jennifer Runyon on power-grid.com

With the wind power booster, 6GW of offshore wind capacity will be incorporated into the grid as early as 2032, instead of 2035, stated TenneT in a press release.

According to TenneT, the wind power booster is the first concrete step towards a long-term meshed high voltage direct current grid at sea and on land.

A meshed direct current grid (HVDC overlay grid) on land and at sea ensures long-term security of supply and reduces the economic costs of integrating renewable energies to achieve the climate targets.

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TenneT COO Tim Meyerjürgens said: “…our conceptual and technological innovation for a six-gigawatt hub demonstrates a way to significantly accelerate the achievement of ambitious climate protection targets.

“At the same time, we are laying the foundation for a sustainable interconnection of the direct current grid. In this way, we are sustainably increasing efficiency as well as security of supply and making an important contribution to the intelligent coupling of offshore wind with electrolysers to be built close to generation and the gas grid.”

TenneT suggests that, in order to achieve European climate targets, it is necessary to establish an internationally meshed direct current grid at sea and on land in order to transport more energy through the planned direct current lines on land.

At the offshore grid interconnection points near the coast, in addition to decarbonising energy-intensive processes, intelligent sector coupling with planned electrolysis projects as well as with the gas infrastructure and the feed-in of onshore wind energy is planned.

In order to supply private consumers, industry and planned electrolysis projects with offshore wind energy, as well as to enable a direct connection with continuing direct current lines on land, the three offshore connections will land close to the coast in Heide (Schleswig-Holstein), Wilhelmshaven (Lower Saxony) and in the Bremen area.

Each of these three areas is to be integrated as a wind power booster with a two-gigawatt connection.

“The concept presented to accelerate the expansion of offshore wind energy use while saving power lines is a building block in the right direction. We need to come up with a viable target concept as soon as possible on how we want to expand our infrastructure by 2045,” said Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister of Energy Jan Philipp Albrecht.

“And we have to start planning for this today. We want a European energy transition and this includes a European system interconnection that includes not only electricity but also the production and transport of green hydrogen. We will take an integrative, interconnected approach and build strong future-proof energy infrastructures in the centre of Europe.”

The contract covers the delivery of the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter technology for the Greenlink Interconnector that will connect the power grids of Ireland and Great Britain.

The 500MW, 190km electricity interconnector will allow power to flow in either direction, depending on supply and demand in each country.

Both Ireland and UK will benefit from increased grid stability, security of power supply and cost-effective integration of low carbon energy.

James O’Reilly, CEO of Greenlink, commented: “Greenlink is one of Europe’s most important energy infrastructure projects, contributing to energy security, regional investment, jobs and the cost-effective integration of low carbon energy, and we have chosen a consortium with exceptional experience, skill and standing in the energy and engineering sector for this major undertaking.

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“We will be looking to maximise local supply chain benefits during the three-year construction period and we look forward to working with Siemens Energy and Sumitomo Electric towards successful commissioning in 2024.”

Siemens Energy will be responsible for the overall system design and the construction of two converter stations located close to the Great Island transmission substation in County Wexford (Ireland) and the Pembroke transmission substation in Pembrokeshire (Wales).

Both converter stations will use Siemens Energy’s HVDC PLUS technology with modular multi-level arrangement (VSC-MMC) to convert Alternating Current to Direct Current and vice versa.

Linked via an HVDC XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) cable system by Sumitomo, the stations will enable the low-loss transport of energy with a voltage of 320 kilovolts.

Siemens Energy’s scope of supply also includes a Service and Maintenance Agreement with an initial duration of seven years.

HVDC technology offers an efficient means of transmitting large amounts of power over long distances and according to Beatrix Natter, Executive Vice President Transmission at Siemens Energy: “Interconnectors like Greenlink play a critical role in strengthening the share of renewable sources in the European energy mix and bolstering energy security.”

Work on the project will begin at the start of 2022.

The final phase will add an additional 1.5GW of transmission capacity to the existing 33-km link, supplying electricity from the Dangjin power plant to Godeok, home to one of the largest semi-conductor plants in the world, as well as to the Pyeongtaek city and the south of Seoul Metropolitan area. Together, these areas account for 40% of South Korea’s energy consumption. 

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The contract, awarded to GE and KAPES – a KEPCO-GE joint venture – will in 2020 complete the first 1.5GW phase of the bi-pole HVDC link that runs across the Ansanman Bay from Dangjin to Godeok.

With GE’s HVDC technology, KEPCO, Korea’s largest utility, was able to avoid the construction of a 100km overhead line that an alternating current (AC) scheme would have required. Moreover, this solution provides additional supply into this high-growth region.

With South Korea experiencing a 53% growth in energy demand within the last decade and continuing to be one of the biggest energy consumers in the world, the Buk Dangjing-Godeok link is crucial in developing South Korea’s transmission network to meet the nation’s growing energy demand.  

Compared to AC technology, HVDC lowers transmission costs and energy losses as well as having a smaller footprint, making it a more efficient and environmentally-friendly way to move electricity over long distances.

The KAPES joint venture between GE and KEPCO is a long-term strategic relationship to co-develop HVDC projects and increase Korean transmission grid capabilities based on GE technology.

“With this project, GE and KEPCO continue to reinforce the value of the KAPES joint venture.  The investment that has been made to transfer knowledge and localize GE’s HVDC technology continues to be a win-win partnership,” said Rajendra Iyer, GE’s Grid Solutions’ integrated solutions leader. “GE is proud to be able to contribute to South Korea’s growing energy economy in this way.”

To date, GE and KAPES have been awarded six grid-critical HVDC projects in Korea, starting in 1994 when GE provided the original 300-megawatt HVDC bi-pole link for the 101-km, point-to-point submarine electric interconnector linking South Korea’s Jeju Island with the mainland.