| Abstract |
Large-scale offshore renewable energy farms, including wind, tidal stream and wave energy systems, are likely to play an increasingly significant role in enabling the UK to meet its long-term CO2 emissions reductions targets. However, the development and installation of large renewable energy farms off the coast of the UK provides a number of challenges in terms of:- the collection of electrical energy offshore from multiple renewable energy farms,
- the transportation of electrical energy generated by these offshore farms to the UK shoreline,
- the connection and integration into the onshore power system.
This project, led by consultants Sinclair Knight Merz, has assessed new technology solutions to these issues, quantified their benefits, and provided guidance in respect of technology development opportunities. It has delivered:- a clear understanding of the key issues concerning the connection of multiple renewable energy farms off the UK coast
- assessments of the likely technical limits concerning the integration of offshore renewable energy systems into the UK power system
- recommendations for new, optimised solutions for the grid connection of multiple offshore renewable energy farms, including the provision of design concepts for offshore HVDC electrical systems
- identification of technology development opportunities for the industry.
The scenarios considered were:- Distributed Smaller Windfarms
- Large Windfarms
- Very Large Windfarms
- Small Marine Case
- Medium Wave Case
- Large Tidal Case
- Combined Tidal and Wind Case
As a result of the work carried out during this project, the ETI now has a reference work describing the state of theart and likely development of technologies and architectures for offshore networks over the next 15 years and beyond |
ETI Publications 
