In a world’s first, Siemens Energy is connecting three Offshore Transformer Modules® (OTM®), its range of AC offshore substation platforms, and will transmit the power generated from the 950-mw Moray East Offshore Windfarm project, located 22km off the Aberdeenshire coast in Scotland.
On June 30, 2020, the first OTM began its journey from the fabricator to be installed at the offshore windfarm. The remaining two will sail out in the following months when commissioning will take place. The OTM, which are significantly smaller in size and weight compared to conventional alternating current platforms, will transform the output of the wind turbines from 66kV to the transmission voltage of 220kV.
Siemens Energy is a market leader in connecting offshore wind to the grid, with 6.5 GW connected to date and a further 4.5GW under construction. Using its state-of-the art OTM technology the company continues to innovate and find ways to drive down costs for developers worldwide while meeting the energy demands of the future.
Project case history
October 30, 2019: Following a 1,500-km journey by river, sea and road, the first transformer was delivered by Siemens to the onshore substation at New Deer for the Moray East offshore windfarm development.
July 17, 2019: The Moray East offshore windfarm project completed its first fabrication milestone as Thurso SME engineering firm, JGC Engineering and Technical Services, finalised work on the containers which will be fitted with either high voltage transmission equipment or electrical monitoring and control equipment for the three offshore substation platforms.
July 12, 2019: Siemens has placed multi-million pound contracts with companies across the UK for the construction of the transmission infrastructure for the Moray East Offshore Windfarm. As the lead contractor for onshore transmission infrastructure construction works for the 950MW windfarm, Siemens has placed several subcontracts since work began in September 2018.
December 6, 2018: Siemens has been awarded an order to connect the Moray East offshore wind farm to the grid. Moray East is being developed by a joint venture company owned by EDP Renewables, a subsidiary of the Portuguese utility Energias de Portugal, ENGIE, a global energy and services group based in Paris, and Diamond Generation Europe Ltd., a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation. The Siemens’ scope of supply covers all necessary components, such as the offshore transformer modules (OTM®) which transform the output of the wind turbines from 66kV to the transmission voltage of 220kV, as well as the onshore station which transforms the electricity into 275kV for feeding it into the national transmission grid. This project will be the 11th offshore wind farm to be connected to the mainland by Siemens in the UK. Moreover, Moray East marks the largest offshore grid connection in terms of transmission capacity and order entry Siemens has delivered or been awarded in the UK to date.
Caption for featured photograph: On June 30, 2020, the first of the three Offshore Transformer Module for the grid connection of the Moray East Offshore Windfarm began its journey from the fabricator to be installed at the windfarm. The remaining two will sail out in the following months when commissioning will take place.
Caption for smaller photograph: Siemens Energy’s Offshore Transformer Module is significantly smaller in size and weight compared to conventional alternating current platforms.
