| Abstract |
The ETI has engaged Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) to identify the opportunity for the development of innovative solutions for the collection of electrical energy from individual and multiple offshore renewable energy farms, and the transportation of bulk electrical energy from these offshore farms to the onshore power system. The study comprises four main tasks :- Offshore renewable scenarios – to define the timeline of the expected volumes of offshore renewable generation capacities
- State of the art of offshore network technologies – establishment of the current state of the art of offshore network technologies and their prospective future development path
- Analysis at individual farm level – identification of the challenges and resultant technology opportunities from connection of individual large-scale offshore wind or marine energy farms to the UKgrid system, and recommendations for connection solutions for investigation.
- Analysis at multiple farm level – evaluation of the optimal architecture(s) that could be developed to collect, manage and transmit back to shore the electrical energy produced by multiple, large-scale offshore renewable energy farms.
This report identifies and assesses options for intra-array and export network architectures for the connection of individual offshore renewable energy farms. It also describes the associated challenges and technology development opportunities (to augment those in the Technology Report). Section 5 summarises the conclusions regarding optimum architectures, issues of control and compliance with electricity system standards, and technology development opportunities. Appendix C also includes key analysis of harmonic and fault ride-through performance
The purpose of this report is to present the analysis performed at individual farm level and the identification of the challenges and resultant technology opportunities (based on the state of the art review) that could arise in respect of the connection of individual large-scale offshore wind or marine energy farms to the UK grid system, and provision of recommendations for connection solutions worthy of further development and analysis in subsequent projects.
The report includes:- Description of the approach taken towards the modelling activities, the models developed, the software tools utilised, an overview of the studies performed (including performance, high level impact on the onshore system), details of the raw inputs and outputs of the studies, and an interpretation of these outputs. ?
- Methodologies for the optimal design and selection of the electrical infrastructure for individual offshore renewable energy farms, both for connections within a farm and for connections to the onshore system. This includes comments for potential new grid connection specifications relating to these infrastructure approaches and proposals for new and/or revised Grid Code requirements.
- ?Control system implications of the selected individual offshore renewable energy farm configurations.
- ?Preliminary comparative economic assessments of the connection of individual offshore renewable energy farms into the onshore UK grid. Data used has predominately been derived from previous1SKM studies for the ETI. Where new assumptions are made these are included in this report. ?
- Specific architectures from the scenarios report and the state of the Art Technology reports were considered together with some additional ideas such as polyphase systems and storage solutions. ?
- Further recommendations of the technology development opportunities for ETI.
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