Analysis of location for offshore substation in power transmission system of offshore wind farm

Abstract

A large-scale offshore wind farm presents a significant opportunity to increase the proportion of renewable energy resources, especially wind energy, at the grid. In particular, it will be the first and one of the largest wind farms in Korea. Offshore wind farms consist of an electrical collector system including internal array cables and offshore substations, and HV (High Voltage) transmission cables to connect with an onshore grid. Offshore substations transform the collection voltage at the wind farm into a transmission voltage suitable for long-distance transfer to onshore infrastructure. The optimal location for an offshore substation is a function of installation costs, cable losses, compensation for reactive power, requirements of the grid code, and so on. This paper proposes a process to determine optimum substation location to minimize total investment cost. The proposed cost model comprises cable installation, interrupted energy, and reactive power compensation. © 2014 ISSN 1881-803X.