ABB wins $150 million order to grid-connect world’s largest offshore wind farm

ABB has won orders worth over $150 million from Danish energy company, Ørsted (previously Dong Energy), to supply a range of technologies that will help integrate and transmit renewable wind energy from Hornsea Project Two, slated to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm. The orders were booked in the second quarter of 2018 and are the first tranche of a global five year frame agreement for the supply of electrical and automation equipment for offshore and onshore wind power connection and integration to the grid.

Hornsea Two is a 1,400 megawatt (MW) project to develop wind resources in the North Sea about 100 kilometers off the Yorkshire coast. Upon completion, it will be able to deliver enough clean electrical power to meet the needs of more than 1.3 million homes annually. The additional power supply will support economic growth in the UK’s Humber region, and help the UK meet its target of generating 15 percent of energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.

ABB will supply its state-of-the-art Static Var Compensation (SVC) Light technology with advanced ABB Ability™ MACH control systems, High Voltage gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), transformers, reactors and harmonic filters. ABB will also be responsible for the engineering, supply, project management and commissioning of the digital control and protection systems for the onshore substation and the two offshore platform substations.

“We are delighted to partner with Ørsted for this strategic long term technology alliance and work towards our common goal of integrating more renewables into the grid and promoting sustainable energy solutions”, said Claudio Facchin, President of ABB’s Power Grids division. “Advanced technologies and ABB Ability™-based digital solutions will play a key role in enhancing capacity and improving quality and reliability of electricity supplies to millions of people. This project reinforces ABB’s position as a partner of choice for enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid.”

The electrical power flow from Hornsea Two farm will be protected and controlled by the largest Static Compensation (STATCOM) system ever built for an offshore wind application. STATCOMs help offshore wind generating turbines to increase power transfer capability, improve power quality and enhance grid stability, delivering energy efficient and reliable power supply. The brain of the STATCOM is the ABB Ability MACH control, protection and monitoring system, managing this sophisticated technology by overseeing thousands of operations in real time to ensure power reliability and efficiency.

As part of the project scope, the ABB Ability™ enabled MicroSCADA system will be used for monitoring of the electricity network and gather data from Relion® Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) and Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) to ensure safe and reliable grid integration system operations. Advanced mission critical technology will also be used for communication between the offshore platforms and the onshore substation.