The EU-funded Horizon2020
project ‘Progress on Meshed HVDC Offshore Transmission Networks’ (PROMOTioN)
has presented its research results at a final online conference. The event,
titled ‘North Sea Grid for the European Green Deal: How to unlock Europe's
Offshore Wind potential - a deployment plan for a meshed HVDC grid’, marks
the culmination of over four years of practice-oriented research and full-scale
technology demonstrations on integrated offshore HVDC transmission grids
by 34 international project partners who represent the whole industry value
chain.
The
PROMOTioN project found that the necessary technologies for a meshed HVDC
offshore wind transmission network are ready for use, but that political
will and more European cooperation are needed to develop the regulatory
and technical frameworks necessary to implement them. Partners behind the
project recommend that as a first step, a real full-scale cross-border
pilot projects at sea should be launched to gain practical experience and
demonstrate the real-life benefits of multi-terminal grid development.
In parallel, work on developing a uniform grid code and operation guidelines
should be initiated.
The
partners also highlighted that a stronger European and cross-border expansion
of offshore wind energy improves energy security, reduces environmental
impact, and has the potential to trigger necessary investments during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Coordinated,
multi-purpose, interconnected HVDC transmission infrastructure is the most
socio-economically optimal way to integrate this offshore wind energy into
the existing transmission infrastructure. Joint European offshore wind
and transmission projects can thus be an essential component of the Green
Recovery plan.
Andreas
Feicht, State Secretary at the German Ministry of Economy and Energy and
Keynote Speaker of the conference, said: “The PROMOTioN-project played
an important role in providing input on how offshore wind and the necessary
grids and market rules have to be established in Europe. We invited PROMOTioN
researchers to contribute to the discussions in the North Seas Energy Cooperation
under German Presidency, earlier this year. The results of the PROMOTioN
project are therefore very timely: the project partners' work on developing
a common vision for a North Sea offshore grid, the necessary technical
standards, and the regulatory and economic framework provides valuable
input for our political discussions in the North Seas Energy Cooperation
and in the European Council, as well as domestically.”
Catharina
Sikow-Magny, European Commission Director of “Internal Energy Market"
– DG Energy and Keynote Speaker of the conference, added: “Offshore
Renewable Energy is at the core of the transformation of the energy sector
and of reaching the European climate goals. Offshore wind is likely to
impact the decarbonisation of the wider economy through increased electrification
of other sectors as well, such as heating and transport. Europe needs strong
coordination and cooperation on planning processes beyond national borders
to be able to tap into the potential of offshore renewable energy. The
comprehensive work by PROMOTioN on offshore meshed grids provides valuable
input to the Commission’s work.”
Since
2016, the project partners have been working on solutions at technical
and regulatory levels that were once considered obstacles on the way to
such a meshed offshore HVDC transmission network. The project partners
have developed and tested HVDC network protection and control solutions,
worked towards technology interoperability and standardisation of testing
of key components, outlined recommendations for an EU-wide regulatory and
financial framework, and developed a deployment plan as well as a roadmap
for implementation until 2050. Furthermore, the project has conducted full-scale
demonstrations of HVDC system control, HVDC system protection, HVDC gas-insulated
switchgear, and HVDC circuit breakers.
The
project results include:
- Hardware based technologies
such as HVDC circuit breakers and HVDC gas insulated substations are ready
for use and can be manufactured industrially immediately
- Software based technologies
such as HVDC system control and HVDC system protection have been proven
to work and to be interoperable, and are considered ready for a real world
pilot
- Further research is
outlined to improve performance and whole system integration
- The next step is to
develop full-scale pilot projects at sea. Such a development would accelerate
the much needed uniform DC grid code and specify system operation guidelines,
agreement on high level technical system characteristics (such as operational
configurations, voltage levels, system earthing, and converter configurations)
- Clear support and affirmation
from politicians regarding the regulation and market models of the meshed
grid and more cooperation at a European political level as well as at the
level of network operators is absolutely necessary
- UK and Norway ideally
should be included in the development of joint offshore wind transmission
grids in the North Sea and Irish Sea.
