To support the integration of offshore wind in the U.K., ABB has won a $30 million order from ScottishPower Renewables to supply two SVC Light Static Compensators (STATCOMs) for smoothing out voltage fluctuations that are an inherent feature of intermittent wind energy.
According to the technology company, the STATCOMs will increase power transfer capability, improve power quality and enhance grid stability for the East Anglia ONE wind farm.
ABB says the U.K. government has set a target to meet 15% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2020. Contributing to this goal, the East Anglia ONE project is expected to provide 714 MW of power from 102 wind turbines to meet the needs of over 500,000 homes. The project is located approximately 43 kilometers off the Suffolk Coast in the southern North Sea.
Two ABB TrafoStar autotransformers, which are compact and low-weight, will be incorporated in the STATCOM system.
”ABB’s advanced STATCOM and transformer technologies will not only help stabilize voltage fluctuations and enhance power capacity but also improve the quality and reliability of renewable wind energy supplies to millions of people,” states Patrick Fragman, head of ABB’s grid integration business.
