Wind Energy
CTS technology can be used for efficient grid connections
from onshore and offshore wind farms
"Despite the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis to installation projects, overall 2020 was a record year for the wind industry, with 86.9 GW of new onshore wind installations"
GWEC Global Wind Report
Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), 2021
Wind energy is being developed onshore and offshore and in both situations is often distant from an existing substation and connected by cable. Additionally, within wind farms individual wind turbines are interconnected by so-called array cables that can run for dozens of kilometres.
CTS can play a significant role to accommodate connection of wind resources.
Many countries across the world consider wind energy as a key energy source for decarbonisation. In the UK, government has been increasing its ambition for offshore wind energy each year, announcing goals to deliver 50GW by 2030.
The world will need to install around 1,700 GW of new wind energy capacity between 2021-2030.
It is estimated by Christopher Guerin, CEO of Nexans, that each GW of additional offshore wind power requires $250 million of inter-array and export cable. That means that by 2030, annual value of cable for just for offshore wind will be $8.9 billion (per year) and by 2040 will be $11.7 billion.
Benefits of CTS for Wind Energy
CTS lowering transmission losses up to 20% while increasing revenue and delivering more value to wind developers
Lower cross section reduces leakage of current that often limits the utilisation of cable during low wind speed – this can increase the wind farm annual output by up to 20%
When wind power integrates with offshore load such as oil & gas or carbon capture and storage, CTS removes requirements for power factor correction thus reducing the amount of equipment on platforms and therefore maintenance needs
Less use of copper reduces the carbon footprint of wind energy and preserves the environment that could be damaged by mining minerals
CTS cable can deliver the same power by lower cross section reducing costs of cable up to 30% therefore reducing CO2 emissions
Offshore wind power export by high voltage CTS cable can cost-effectively deliver power by AC, avoiding expensive and high maintenance HVDC converters
Lower heat losses reduce thermal effects on marine life and environment, speeding up the consent process for new connections