ABB's $140m order a step towards European grid

ABB has won an order worth around $140 million to design, supply and install an HVDC (high-voltage direct current) converter station in Bentwisch, Germany.

The HVDC Light ‘back-to-back’ converter station, which ABB said is the first of its kind in Europe, will allow the connection of the asynchronous AC power grids of Eastern Denmark and Germany.

The order is from transmission system operator Energinet.dk in Denmark, and 50Hertz Transmission in Germany.

By providing the HVDC system, ABB will contribute to the ‘Kriegers Flak combined grid solution’ project, which establishes an offshore interconnection by using the national grid connections to the future Danish Kriegers Flak and operating German Baltic 1 and 2 offshore wind farms.

ABB was previously awarded a $100 million AC subsea cable system order for connecting the Danish Kriegers Flak wind farm in 2015.

“ABB has an unparalleled track record of HVDC interconnections and is playing a key role in enabling the vision of a European grid,” said Claudio Facchin, president of ABB’s Power Grids division.

“The integration of renewable energy and the development of interconnections are key elements of ABB’s Next Level Strategy, addressing the growing need for electricity with minimum environmental impact.”

The interconnector will have a capacity of 400 MW, equivalent to the energy requirement of more than 400,000 households.

This critical infrastructure development is co-financed by the EU and will mark a significant step towards European renewable energy targets.

Not only will the project allow the integration of more renewable energy into the grid, but it will also provide enhanced power security and offer additional opportunities for energy trading.

The company will provide the complete HVDC station including transformers, converter valves, cooling systems, control and protection and other related equipment at the converter station. ABB said the HVDC Light converter station will provide sophisticated features to the network such as the ‘black-start’ power restoration capability and exceptional power control to regulate the system with changes in the wind speed.

Image caption: HVDC light valve hall, image courtesy of ABB.

Originally published here.