Under the terms of the contract, the German technology giant will provide the entire technology that is needed for the offshore grid connection to efficiently transmit high-voltage direct-current transmission (HVDC). For the project, Siemens will deploy its DC CS direct-current compact switchgear for the first time.
According to the German manufacturer, the new gas-insulated switchgear for 320kV needs about 95% less space compared to the prevailing air-insulated solutions.
If installed on an offshore platform, Siemens says that the size of the platform can be brought down by around 10%.
Siemens energy management division CEO Ralf Christian said: “This makes Siemens the technology partner in six out of ten DC projects.
“After BorWin3 and DolWin6 are commissioned, approximately 4.7 gigawatts of electrical power will be converted and transmitted to shore using Siemens technology alone. This is enough to supply just under five million homes.”
The company’s Spanish partner Dragados Offshore will handle the construction and offshore installation work of the associated platform while French firm Nexans will provide the direct-current cables.
The supply and laying of the cables were tendered by TenneT separately and are not part of Siemens’ contract.
With a length of about 90km, the DolWin6 grid connection will be able to connect a number of offshore wind turbines including the Gode Wind 3 project to the mainland.
Other offshore wind warms are anticipated to bid on the grid connection in the next round of the auction held by the German Gederay Network Agency.
Once completed, DolWin6 offshore grid connection is expected to transmit enough electricity to power a little under one million German households. The grid connection’s commercial commissioning is slated for 2023.
