Technical Delivery Consultant (Offshore Wind Farm Low Frequency AC Electrical Systems).

Descriptions

The Carbon Trust is working on a major offshore wind technology accelerator initiative focussed on reducing the cost of energy (£/MWh) from offshore wind by more than 10 %. This initiative, the Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA), is funding large-scale research, development and demonstration (RD&D) projects to unlock technological barriers to advance the industry, and thereby accelerate its development so that significant carbon emissions reductions are achieved. Projects have been selected based on their potential impact on the cost of offshore wind farms and on their ability to deliver operational improvements in the short to medium term. The OWA has been structured as a funding collaboration between the Carbon Trust and a number of international energy companies active in offshore wind farm development.With offshore wind farms moving further offshore and the increase of power rating, the available technical solutions for the grid connection in the current state of the art are still costly, risky and with areas that require improvement (platform sizes etc.). Intense R&D activity is occurring seeking for a better solution which will make the installation easier, will reduce the overall risk and ultimately decrease the LCOE. There are strong indications emerging from the HVAC optimisation study that the OWA has recently concluded of potential cost savings due to the omission of the offshore converter and consequent simpler platforms by adopting LFAC for offshore wind electrical systems.The key objective of the study being procured is to provide to the OWA partners evidence on whether LFAC is a good candidate for offshore wind farm electrical systems in Round 3 sites. In particular, this project aims to address the following key issues:— Investigation of the optimal frequency for offshore transmission: should 16¿ Hz be used or is another frequency optimal? Is it feasible in the timeframe considered for Round 3 projects;— Stability analysis of the LFAC network and investigation for harmonics and resonance;— Coordination of the Round 3 developments under LFAC choice: assessment of advantages on meshing, redundancy and system aspects;— Market survey LFAC: consultation with OEMs on the delivery of required components and identification of possible items suitable for a competition;— Industry verification with wind turbine manufacturers for implications on the design of wind turbines;— Investigation of the acceptance of the technology by other relevant stakeholders (e.g. insurers, bankers, grid operators etc.) and identification of risks and impacts;— Optimisation of a realistic OWF: cost-optimal design for the whole project (including all assets from the onshore converter to the WT generators);— Loadability of cables: investigation of the expected limits, analysis of operational approaches (curtailment) and impacts on the wind farm economics;— Identification of gaps and barriers in terms of testing methods, standards and general regulatory framework;— Market stimulation to meet the demand for this solution; and— Give a roadmap to commercialisation;In order to achieve tangible results in the near future it is foreseen that this study will involve wide ranging industry engagement and consultation from its very early stages, thus aiming to evaluate if LFAC can provide a viable alternative for the grid connection in the near future. The objective of the study is to respond to all the above mentioned challenges.