Hitachi ABB Power Grids' latest high-voltage hybrid switchgear for offshore wind applications is the first-of-its-kind to enable the wind tower connecting grid to operate at a higher voltage level. Offshore wind turbines typically operate at 5 MW and 33 kV, but the growing demand for renewable energy and the corresponding increase in WTG rating has raised the maximum to 14 MW, a capability that is expected to reach 20 MW by 2030. Hitachi ABB has introduced a 72.5 kV high-voltage hybrid switchgear, ‘M00 – Wind’, using its plug and switch system (PASS).
This solution will be installed at China's first 66 kV offshore wind farm, Huadian Yuhuan Phase 1, to optimise the energy landscape in the Yangtze River Delta. Hitachi ABB will supply 22 units of PASS M00 – Wind to Dongfang Electric Wind Power Co. Ltd, one of China’s a leading wind turbine manufacturers. China is heading towards an "energy revolution" to embrace cleaner, high-efficiency and digital technologies. The International Energy Agency predicts that China will account for 40 % of global renewable capacity by 2024.
Scheduled for completion at the end of 2021, Huadian Yuhuan Phase 1 will supply 770 million kWh pa to 240 000 households in the Zhejiang province. This will reduce the fossil fuel burn and eliminate around 584 000 tons of CO2 emissions.
PASS M00 – Wind is a compact hybrid switchgear specifically designed for wind turbine applications. It fits inside the wind turbine and comes with a digital motor drive and local control cabinet with built-in intelligence for monitoring and diagnostics. The digital protection and control relay provide smooth integration into substation automation systems through an IEC 61850 interface. The switchgear, says its maker, offers real-time simulation for proactive management of the life cycle of the asset and remote service intervention.
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