Abstract
The biggest obstacle to using a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) for a floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) is the weight. A superconducting synchronous generator (SCSG) can be an alternative to this problem. In this paper, first, the weight and volume of a 10 MW class PMSG and SCSG for a large floating offshore wind farm (FOWF) were compared. Reflecting this, the economic feasibility of a 200 MW class FOWF based on a semi-submersible platform was compared and analyzed. The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) was used to compare the economics of the two types of FOWF, and the LCOE of the SCSG type FOWF was 6 (USD/MWh) more expensive than that of the PMSG type FOWF. However, if the superconducting wire price is reduced by 40% compared to the current price, the economic feasibility of the SCSG type FOWF can be secured. Considering only the weight, the SCSG type FOWF is far superior to the PMSG type FOWF. With the trend of falling superconducting wire prices and improving critical current, the SCSG type FOWF is expected to become a definite alternative to large-capacity wind farms, and the economic feasibility is expected within the next five years.
Highlights
Wind power has become the world’s fastest-growing source of renewable energy.According to the US Department of Energy, wind energy is expected to contribute to a significant portion of the U.S electricity supply over the 20 years [1]
Floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) systems are no longer limited to maximum depth constraint (50 m) because they can be deployed in deep-sea areas with high wind energy utilization potential [2]
To analyze the economic feasibility of the 200 MW class floating offshore wind farm (FOWF), it is necessary to calculate the capital expenditure (CAPEX) of the FOWT constituting the wind farm
Summary
Wind power has become the world’s fastest-growing source of renewable energy. According to the US Department of Energy, wind energy is expected to contribute to a significant portion of the U.S electricity supply over the 20 years [1]. Reference [12] aimed to develop a methodology for determining the economic feasibility of a floating offshore wind farm (FOWF) but did not compare different types of generators. Reference [13] conducted a study comparing 12 MW class PMSG type and SCSG type wind turbine, but an economic analysis was not conducted including the floating structures. In order to compare economic feasibility, the structure of generators of the PMSG and SCSG types was investigated, and the scaling equation was studied to scale up the capacity to 10 MW. For the PMSG and SCSG types FOWTs, the cost of the FOWT was calculated by considering the difference in the weight and volume of the turbine. We are confident that the SCSG can be an effective alternative to large-scale FOWFs
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