Researchers collaborate to prevent faults in offshore wind farm cables

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is a partner in a new research project to design a system which detects and prevents high voltage insulation faults in subsea power cables for offshore wind farms.

Funded by the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) Offshore Wind Component Technologies Development and Demonstration Scheme, GCU lecturer and researcher Dr Alistair Reid will work with High Voltage Partial Discharge Ltd (HVPD), Alstom Grid, and the University of Strathclyde on the nine-month project. The scheme supports projects which will work towards lowering the costs of generating offshore wind energy.

Offshore wind has tremendous potential to reduce the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels, help cut carbon and help meet the UK’s renewables targets. Approximately 30% of the UK’s electricity is predicted to come from renewable sources by 2020. DECC claims there is potential to drive down costs of offshore wind by 25% by 2020 and 60% by 2050, but further investment is needed in this area.

“If there is a cable fault, particularly subsea, it is extremely costly to repair," said Dr Reid, a lecturer and researcher in electronic and electrical engineering, with interests in diagnostic monitoring techniques and systems for early warning of catastrophic events. "GCU’s labs can generate any form of supply voltage. We will use these facilities to apply different types of voltage stressing to cable insulation, interpret the signals and propose new solutions to predicting failures before they occur."   

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Source: Renewableenergyfocus.com

HVDC Transmission Market by Technology- Forecast Analysis to 2014 - 2020

HVDC Transmission Market by Technology (LCC & VSC), Configuration (Back to Back, Monopolar, Bipolar, Multi-Terminal), Power Rating (Below 500 MW, 1001 MW–1500, 1501-2000 MW & Above 2000 MW), Application, Component & Geography - Forecast Analysis to 2014 - 2020

HVDC transmission is an emerging technology providing efficient and fast transfer of electricity at long range, reducing the losses caused by HVAC (High Voltage Altering Current). To reduce the heavy transmission loss which is incurred by the AC system and the efficient transfer at long distances are the major features of HVDC technology. Hence, HVDC transmission becomes an interesting preposition across the globe as it focuses on lower transmission losses, asynchronous interconnection and the capability to deliver bulk power for long distance transmission.

Based on the technology, the HVDC transmission market can be divided into Line communicated converters, capacitor communicated converters, and voltage source converters.

The line commutate converters occupied largest share of HVDC market in 2014 but voltage source converters are expected to grow by the year 2020.

The report provides the profiles of all the major companies in the HVDC transmission market. The report also provides the competitive landscape of the key players, which indicates the growth strategy of the market in the industry. The report also covers the entire value chain for the market, right from the infrastructure provider to the end user. Along with the value chain, this report also provides an in-depth view on the technology, configuration, power rating, application, and geographic analysis of the market. The HVDC transmission market is expected to grow at 13.54 billion by 2020 at a CAGR of 17.13% from 2014 to 2020.

The report also provides the market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, opportunities and challenges for the market. Apart from the market segmentation, the report also includes the critical market data and qualitative information with regard to HVDC; along with the qualitative analysis, such as the Porter’s five force analysis, value chain analysis, and the market crackdown analysis.

Key players in the HVDC transmission market include ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), Siemens AG (Germany), Alstom (France), Toshiba Corporation (Japan), and Schneider Electric (France) among others

Source: MarketsandMarkets.

Alstom: 800 kV HVDC convertor transformer factory in Vadodara

The setting up of a 800 KV HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) convertor transformer plant in the city will come to the rescue of many power-starved states which can now borrow electricity from the surplus in Gujarat, said Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.

She was speaking after inaugurating country's first Made In India advanced Ultra Transformer plant of Alstom T&D India on the outskirts of the city late last evening.

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