Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ADOreD (Accelerating the Deployment of Offshore wind using Dc technology)
Período documentado: 2022-10-01 hasta 2024-09-30
European nations need to collaborate to reduce their collective greenhouse gas emissions. Among all sectors, as per the EU statistics, the power sector has the biggest potential for cutting emissions. Wind energy is the front runner and can be rapidly deployed thanks to the high availability of wind resources and the maturity of wind energy technology compared with other renewable energies. Offshore wind power holds the highest capacity to meet most of Europe’s power needs. The outlook for OW deployment is 300 GW in the EU-27 by 2050. With the UK and Norway’s targets, Europe would have over 400 GW by 20507.
However, planning restrictions and environmental issues limit the options for installing new wind power generation and transmission. Moreover, combined with the displacement of conventional technologies used to provide power supply, the transition to renewable energy and power electronics-based power systems has resulted in new trends in declining power system strength (system inertia, provision of short circuit current, fast complementary dynamic voltage support). This requires multiple actors to implement new solutions with multiple purposes, included but not limited to supporting onshore and offshore network stability and support (e.g. through converter grid-forming and grid-following control), supporting onshore transmission power boundary flow, supporting cross national border interconnection, supporting renewable hydrogen (e.g. electrolysed hydrogen powered by 100% renewable electricity) production needs.
The new control technologies now available to HVDC and other converter-based technologies present a huge opportunity to deliver the energy transition and achieve the above-mentioned multi-purpose interconnections. Therefore, innovative technologies and cost-effective solutions for offshore wind technologies and offshore power transmission technologies are to be developed and implemented at the pace and scale towards the net-zero energy transition by 2050.
ADOreD aims to develop innovative solutions to contribute to the above areas by combining new training, industrial engagement in academia, and collaborative research and innovation. To ensure continued reliable and flexible operation of the transmission system, further performance improvement and cost reduction of the technologies will be the overall research objectives. It is expected that ADOreD will enhance the competitiveness of EU universities and companies and help maintain the EU’s world-leading position.
However, planning restrictions and environmental issues limit the options for installing new wind power generation and transmission. Moreover, combined with the displacement of conventional technologies used to provide power supply, the transition to renewable energy and power electronics-based power systems has resulted in new trends in declining power system strength (system inertia, provision of short circuit current, fast complementary dynamic voltage support). This requires multiple actors to implement new solutions with multiple purposes, included but not limited to supporting onshore and offshore network stability and support (e.g. through converter grid-forming and grid-following control), supporting onshore transmission power boundary flow, supporting cross national border interconnection, supporting renewable hydrogen (e.g. electrolysed hydrogen powered by 100% renewable electricity) production needs.
The new control technologies now available to HVDC and other converter-based technologies present a huge opportunity to deliver the energy transition and achieve the above-mentioned multi-purpose interconnections. Therefore, innovative technologies and cost-effective solutions for offshore wind technologies and offshore power transmission technologies are to be developed and implemented at the pace and scale towards the net-zero energy transition by 2050.
ADOreD aims to develop innovative solutions to contribute to the above areas by combining new training, industrial engagement in academia, and collaborative research and innovation. To ensure continued reliable and flexible operation of the transmission system, further performance improvement and cost reduction of the technologies will be the overall research objectives. It is expected that ADOreD will enhance the competitiveness of EU universities and companies and help maintain the EU’s world-leading position.
The scientific activities in the project are structured around three main areas: Offshore wind (WP1); HVDC (WP2) and AC/DC interactions (WP3).
Offshore wind (WP1): This WP aims to find innovative modelling, control, configurations, functions, and stability analysis methods to improve performance and reduce the key components in offshore wind power generation and DC grids. The challenges and research questions will be addressed regarding the collection and transmission technologies, operation and control systems for OWFs. Large WT, floating WT, wind farms and offshore hydrogen generation will be investigated. Comparisons between DC collection systems and different AC options will be conducted to find the optimal configurations. Digital offshore converter stations will be studied to improve offshore grids' operation and control performance using the data collected by the smart substation. The stability of multi-vendor large OWF clusters will be studied to ensure the stable and secure operation of large-scale OWFs.
HVDC (WP2) focuses on the key questions related to the optimal techno-economic design of offshore medium-voltage collection systems, high-voltage transmission systems, and their integration. Moreover, WP2 deals with the optimization, design and operation of offshore grids, with a focus on fault protection and resilient performance. Additionally, it investigates the autonomous operation and control of power systems incorporating HVDC grids, including islanded operation and black start capabilities, by developing and validating innovative control algorithms for converters. Finally, HVDC cable analysis is also performed in this WP2, using monitored data to determine cable and accessory lifetime.
AC/DC interactions (WP3): focuses on the interplay between HVDC systems – including offshore wind – and the main AC power system. It covers crucial aspects like AC grid protection in the presence of converters like HVDC and converter-based resources like offshore wind. A second major focus is on the performance of offshore wind, seen as compliance with grid codes and the ability to deliver essential grid services, which would not be possible without advanced control methods, developed and validated in the project. The aim is to ensure the stability of the HVDC-dominated grids.
During the first part of the project, the main focus of the individual doctoral candidate projects has been on establishing the state-of-the-art in each area, developing the mathematical models and started implementing their own approaches and solutions.
Offshore wind (WP1): This WP aims to find innovative modelling, control, configurations, functions, and stability analysis methods to improve performance and reduce the key components in offshore wind power generation and DC grids. The challenges and research questions will be addressed regarding the collection and transmission technologies, operation and control systems for OWFs. Large WT, floating WT, wind farms and offshore hydrogen generation will be investigated. Comparisons between DC collection systems and different AC options will be conducted to find the optimal configurations. Digital offshore converter stations will be studied to improve offshore grids' operation and control performance using the data collected by the smart substation. The stability of multi-vendor large OWF clusters will be studied to ensure the stable and secure operation of large-scale OWFs.
HVDC (WP2) focuses on the key questions related to the optimal techno-economic design of offshore medium-voltage collection systems, high-voltage transmission systems, and their integration. Moreover, WP2 deals with the optimization, design and operation of offshore grids, with a focus on fault protection and resilient performance. Additionally, it investigates the autonomous operation and control of power systems incorporating HVDC grids, including islanded operation and black start capabilities, by developing and validating innovative control algorithms for converters. Finally, HVDC cable analysis is also performed in this WP2, using monitored data to determine cable and accessory lifetime.
AC/DC interactions (WP3): focuses on the interplay between HVDC systems – including offshore wind – and the main AC power system. It covers crucial aspects like AC grid protection in the presence of converters like HVDC and converter-based resources like offshore wind. A second major focus is on the performance of offshore wind, seen as compliance with grid codes and the ability to deliver essential grid services, which would not be possible without advanced control methods, developed and validated in the project. The aim is to ensure the stability of the HVDC-dominated grids.
During the first part of the project, the main focus of the individual doctoral candidate projects has been on establishing the state-of-the-art in each area, developing the mathematical models and started implementing their own approaches and solutions.
As with all doctoral studies, the project's first period is dedicated to establishing the state-of-the-art, identifying the research gaps and developing the foundation of the subsequent studies. This is the case in ADOreD as well, where most of the results are in this direction, with relatively little progress beyond the state-of-the-art at this stage. The major achievements and progress will come in the coming period.