China eyes first HVDC link for offshore wind: DNV GL
Group called in to advise on high-voltage link for 1.1GW project off Jiangsu province
A Chinese offshore wind developer is planning the country’s first deployment of a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system, said energy technology specialist DNV GL, which has been hired to advise on the project.
Exploring the use of HVDC transmission options comes as Chinese offshore wind moves further out to sea, DNV GL said.
The planned HVDC link would connect a 1.1GW wind farm 90km off Jiangsu province for Huadong Engineering and include an offshore converter station.
William Pan, head of offshore wind APAC, DNV GL – Energy, said: “Compared with onshore HVDC technology, offshore wind HVDC has unique specifications and requires [combining] both offshore wind and HVDC technology on the limited space, to satisfy safety and function requirement.”
China wants to have 5GW of offshore wind in place by 2020, up from 2.8GW in place at the end of 2017.
The ambition of provinces such as Jiangsu – which has its own goal to have 3.5GW in place by 2020 – is likely to help the country beat that target, according to market commentators.