Offshore Wind Power: ABB Wins $1 Billion North Sea Contract

August 3rd, 2011 by Andrew

Swiss engineering group ABB won the largest power transmission order in its long history, a $1 billion contract to connect planned offshore North Sea wind farms to the German electricity grid. Upon expected completion in 2015, transmission lines will deliver enough clean, renewable electrical power to supply more than 1.5 million households, while avoiding more than 3 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to an ABB press release.

“Offshore wind power is emerging as a major source of large-scale renewable energy in Europe to help meet emission targets and lower environmental impact,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. ”ABB is uniquely positioned with in-house manufacturing capability of converter stations, cables and semiconductors, the essential components of HVDC systems, and has invested significantly in these technologies.”

Dutch-German electrical power utility TenneT awarded the contract, which calls for ABB to design, engineer, supply and install the world’s largest offshore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system, one with a rating of more than 900 megawatts (MW) that will keep electrical losses under 1% per converter station. This includes an offshore platform, offshore and onshore converter stations and the interconnecting land and sea cable systems.

The electricity will be coming from the 400 MW Gode Wind II, construction of which is expected to begin next year, and other offshore wind farms approved by Germany’s Federal Agency for Marine Shipping and Hydrography.

The electricity will flow to an offshore HVDC converter station, which will transmit it via 135 kilometers of underwater and underground cables to an onshore station on the German coast. From there it will feed electricity into Germany’s mainland grid. ABB will make use of HVDC Light transmission technology, which the company says “offers environmental benefits such as neutral electromagnetic fields and compact converter stations.”

The offshore wind power will help Germany meet its plan to close down its nuclear power stations by 2022. Germany intends to double its wind power capacity by 2020. Wind power currently makes up about 8%, more than 27 gigawatts (GW) of its power supply.

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Tags: ABB, ABB offshore wind, europe offshore wind, Germany Renewable Energy, Gode II wind farm, green business, north sea, north sea wind power

About the Author

Andrew I've been reporting and writing on a wide range of topics at the nexus of economics, technology, ecology/environment and society for some five years now. Whether in Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas, Africa or the Middle East, issues related to these broad topical areas pose tremendous opportunities, as well as challenges, and define the quality of our lives, as well as our relationship to the natural environment.

Astarloa60

Language referred to in previous comments has been changed, with due respect and consideration for “English” English speakers of English, as well as European speakers of the language, who read this site.
http://www.facebook.com/tim.bastable Tim Bastable

doug is right – in English english it sounds like this contract is a dead duck – I
knew USA english talks about “closing deals” or i’d I’ve been crying into my afternoon tea! We say “signed” or “agreed” a contract – but what a good news story – roll on the pan europeon / n.african interconnecter!!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_DZNYJW6YW5AQYROU2BGGVMAFJE Doug

I think this a good thing but the article uses unclear language. “Taking down a contract” sounds like it is being removed as in “not being built”. “Closing the transmission order” is any clearer.

Just my 2 cents.
- denny waller
  
  Doug,
  
  American money is not accepted here.