Comparison of generating and transmission systems for an offshore array of vertical-axis wind turbines

Abstract

Alternative electrical generation and transmission systems for an offshore wind-turbine array are studied and compared. A parametric analysis is carried out to assess the annual wind-turbine energy output as a function of the type of electrical generating system. The operational advantages of various generating systems are identified, complementing the economic studies in dealing with the choice of a generating system for an offshore site. Different transmission alternatives for the integration of generating systems in a cluster are compared. Also, various transmission options (AC and DC) are considered for carrying the generated power to the shore. Different transmission schemes, together with various generating systems studied, produce a number of feasible schemes which are compared economically and operationally.