Offshore Wind Power Plants Research Articles

Framework for strategic deployment of hybrid offshore solar and wind power plants: A case study of India

Renewable energy sources are gaining prominence as eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels due to their availability and minimal greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, the critical challenge is the availability of renewable resources, which fluctuates with changes in climatic conditions. This limitation poses a consistent challenge to generating base load power if it relies solely on a single type of renewable resource. Addressing this, integrating multiple renewable sources into hybrid systems has emerged as a viable solution. This study presents a framework, integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques to identify plausible locations for the deployment of Hybrid Offshore Solar and Wind Power Plants (HOSWPP) and the developed framework is demonstrated considering Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as a study area. Using the proposed approach, Indian EEZ region is classified into five suitability classes. The effectiveness of regions within each class is further assessed in terms of complementarity measured using Kendall's coefficient. Findings suggested that Kendall's coefficient for highly suitable class is −0.41 indicating the regions identified in this study are the prime locations for installing HOSWPP. A total of twenty optimal sites for HOSWPP deployment, predominantly in the offshore regions of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Eighteen sites are located along Kanyakumari to Thisayanvilai in Tamil Nadu, including areas in the Gulf of Mannar and near Valinokkam are found plausible. The rest of the two sites are in the offshore regions of Gujarat. This study provides a strategic roadmap to increase the renewable footprint, contributing to the global transition towards cleaner energy sources.

Offshore Wind Power: Progress of the Edge Tool, Which Can Promote Sustainable Energy Development

Offshore wind is renewable, clean, and widely distributed. Therefore, the utilization of offshore wind power can potentially satisfy the increasing energy demand and circumvent the dependence on fossil energy. Thus, offshore wind power is an edge tool for achieving sustainable energy development because of its potential in large-scale energy supply and its important role in reducing environmental pollution as well as carbon emission brought by fossil energy. The worldwide development of offshore wind power has entered the era of large-scale research and commercial application. It displays a trend of rapid development, continuous technological breakthroughs, and high-speed market growth. This article systematically introduces the structural components and technical characteristics of offshore wind power. Moreover, the current developmental status of offshore wind power is summarized. By reviewing the current development and application status of offshore wind power technology worldwide, large wind turbines and fixed and floating offshore wind power technologies are analyzed. Additionally, the development of the offshore wind energy market is overviewed. The policy condition and key aspects such as the construction, operation, and maintenance of offshore wind power plants are also summarized. Finally, the prospective challenges and development trends of offshore wind power and its significance in achieving sustainable society development are proposed. We consider that the article can provide reference and inspiration for researchers and developers dedicated to offshore wind power.

Underestimation of strong wind speeds offshore in ERA5: evidence, discussion and correction

Abstract. Offshore wind power plants have become an important element of the European electrical grid. Studies of metocean site conditions (wind, sea state, currents, water levels) form a key input to the design of these large infrastructure projects. Such studies rely heavily on reanalysis datasets which provide decades-long model time series over large areas. In turn, these time series are used for assessing wind, water levels and wave conditions and are thereby key inputs to design activities such as calculations of fatigue loads and extreme loads and platform elevations. In this article, we address a known deficiency of one these reanalysis datasets, ERA5, namely that it underestimates strong wind speeds offshore. If left uncorrected, this poses a design risk (high and extreme wind, waves and water level conditions are underestimated). Firstly, comparisons are made against CFSR/CFSv2 reanalyses as well as high-quality wind-energy-specific in situ measurements from floating lidar systems. Then, the ERA5 surface drag formulation and its sea state dependency are analysed in detail, the conditions of the bias identified, and a correction method is suggested. The article concludes with proposing practical and simple ways to incorporate publicly available, high-quality wind energy measurement datasets in air–sea interaction studies alongside legacy measurements such as met buoys.

Empowering offshore wind with ES-STATCOM for stability margin improvement and provision of grid-forming capabilities

Offshore wind power plants (WPPs) play a pivotal role in achieving a CO2-neutral electricity sector. However, their grid connection presents significant challenges and costs. High-voltage alternating current (HVAC) offers a cost-effective solution, but it may necessitate the installation of a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) at the onshore bus to ensure stability and compliance with connection requirements. Integrating energy storage into the STATCOM (ES-STATCOM) enables the provision of ancillary services, such as inertial response and frequency support, which require active power. This paper utilizes the generalized Nyquist criterion to demonstrate that operating the ES-STATCOM with grid-forming control enhances the stability margin of the grid-connected WPP when compared to operating it with grid-following control. Furthermore, it illustrates through network frequency perturbation (NFP) plots that the overall WPP, comprising grid-following wind turbines and a grid-forming ES-STATCOM, imparts grid-forming behavior at the grid-connection point.

Inter-array cabling optimization in offshore wind power plants, a new reliability indicator for radial grids

The inter-array grid relates to a significant share of the investments into an offshore wind power plant (OWPP). Optimizing the cable connections regarding costs and reliability is a mathematically complex task due to the high variety of possible wind and component (wind turbine or cable) failure scenarios. This paper presents a novel mixed integer linear programming approach to support investment decisions into OWPPs by trading off cabling purchase and installation costs with power capacity risk (PCR), which is defined as a length-weighed cumulative power flow summation that reflects the consequences of cable failures. Then, quasi-random Monte Carlo simulations assess the optimized collection grids (CGs) to quantify their levelized cost of energy (LCOE). To construct relevant case studies, this work investigates the real OWPPs Ormonde, Horns Rev 1, Thanet, and London Array, which contain 30, 80, 100, and 175 wind turbines. The results reveal Pearson correlation coefficients around 0.99 between the proposed PCR and the expected energy not supplied. Furthermore, this paper’s findings indicate that minimum-cost CGs do not necessarily present the lowest LCOE.

Acceptance of offshore wind farm in Southwest Sardinia in Italy. Do regional energy policies matter?

Purpose The social acceptance of wind energy is increasingly conditioning the Italian Government and regions to authorize the construction of these plants. The proposal of offshore wind farm in the south-west of Sardinia has raised many perplexities both from the marine environmental point of view and from concern about increasing the electricity production in a region that already exports electricity to the peninsula. The purpose of this study is to evaluate what are the factors that most affect the coastal residents’ acceptability of an offshore wind farm. Design/methodology/approach The data is based on a Sardinia-wide in-person survey with about 512 participants in the period between May and June 2023. Respondents were selected randomly from five different locations in Carloforte region. Multiple regression analysis investigates the factors that influenced acceptability to construction and development of offshore wind power plant. Four independent variables were selected in the regression models such as (i) interest towards wind energy, (ii) attitude towards renewable energy production, (iii) perceived regional energy policy and (iv) attitude towards offshore wind farm. The dependent variables are the rates of coastal local residents’ acceptance of offshore wind farm for respondents in five coastal towns. Findings Fishermen and summer tourism operators’ respondents expressed significant reluctance to accept the new project because they perceive a strong risk of environmental impact on both tuna fishing and marine recreational activities in the vicinity. The distance between the turbines at sea and local residents along the coast and surrounding small islands does not have an influence to accept wind energy. The energy policy of the Region of Sardinia, which is perceived by respondents as an expansive energy policy in the production of electricity that exceeds their needs, not being accompanied by a scenario of reducing that from fossil fuels, is the variable that led about 70% of respondents to express a negative opinion towards this project. Research limitations/implications A potential problem associated with the survey is that local response produced sample selection bias. The proportion of respondents with secondary education and no school certificate is quite high. It is possible that respondents who provided valid questionnaires were more low-educated and therefore, the sample may be biased towards lower-educated people. While this does not invalidate the results of this study, it is important to note that the sample was on average less educated than the overall population in Italy. In addition, people with lower incomes were more likely to complete the questionnaires; the results are more representative of a portion of the population with incomes below the national average. Practical implications Results showed how coastal communities are in favour of wind energy within their island, but not within a marine protected area that is considered unique for its beauty and marine ecosystem. Wind energy developers should, before submitting a proposal for an offshore wind farm project, consider among other things the long approval time and understand the activities carried out by local communities and their attachment to those places. Politicians and developers should develop a coherent energy transition policy based on a long-term vision of zero emissions, because according to the findings of this study, it was the regional energy policy that is the most controversial reason for residents to reject the project. Originality/value The contribution of this study is to fill a part of the research gap linking to ongoing energy transitions. In particular, this study analysed for the first time in Italy the acceptability level of an offshore renewable energy project considering the environmental implications and risks in the fragile marine ecosystem of Carloforte waters. This study also made it possible to analyse the impact of the regional energy policy on the acceptability of residents towards the development of offshore wind farms, which is scarcely discussed in the literature.

Review paper on multilevel converters topology for VSC-based HVDC transmission system connected offshore wind power plant

This review paper offers a comprehensive analysis of multilevel converters (MLCs) within Voltage Source Converter (VSC)-based High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission systems, focusing on their integration with offshore wind power plants. Through an exhaustive exploration, the paper investigates various MLC configurations and control strategies, assessing their potential to enhance the performance, efficiency, and reliability of offshore wind energy integration into the power grid. By examining the intricate interplay between MLCs, VSC-based HVDC systems, and offshore wind power plants, this review aims to provide valuable insights into the evolving landscape of renewable energy integration technologies. Key topics covered include an overview of offshore wind power generation, the significance of HVDC transmission for offshore wind farms, and the role of MLCs in overcoming integration barriers. Furthermore, the paper delves into control strategies, performance evaluation metrics, and future perspectives and challenges. Through its in-depth analysis, this review contributes to a deeper understanding of the potential of MLCs in advancing the efficiency and reliability of VSC-based HVDC systems, ultimately facilitating the seamless integration of offshore wind energy into the broader power grid.

Offshore wind power plant site selection in the Baltic Sea

The selection of suitable sites for offshore wind power plants is an important marine spatial planning problem in the Baltic Sea. The application of multiple and different decision support tools (DSTs) can facilitate site selection. This study employs a geographical information system (GIS) integrated with the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) model, and GIS with multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) using an analytical hierarch process (AHP), fuzzy logic, weighted linear combination (WLC), and the technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) as an extension of MCDA. The core novelty of the study is the use of several concurrent state-of-the art techniques to quantify the detailed spatial pattern of suitability of different sea areas for offshore wind power plant installations for the entire Baltic Sea at an unprecedented, for such a large sea area, resolution. Important parameters were identified and data from the Global Wind Atlas, HELCOM, and EMODnet portals were used. The most appropriate areas exhibit LCOE values between 42 and 58 €/MWh, MCDA values in the range of 0.78–0.92, and capacity factor values from 0.52 to 0.55. The areas identified as the least appropriate were characterized by LCOE values ranging from 107 to 210 €/MWh, MCDA values between 0.34 and 0.59, and capacity factor values within the range of 0.30–0.43. The outcomes using both methodologies were similar. The decision preferred are mostly locations close to shore in shallow water and with a high capacity factor. The largest suitable areas are in the south-west Baltic Sea whereas some suitable locations are identified further to the north and east.

Optimal sizing of battery energy storage system for a large‐scale offshore wind power plant considering grid code constraints: A Turkish case study

AbstractIntegration of large‐scale wind farms (WFs) into the grid has to meet the critical constraints set in the national grid code. Wind farm operators (WFOs) are inclined to comply with these constraints and avoid heavy penalty costs for violating such regulations. However, this may result in reduced power sent to the grid. Moreover, the addition of new rules to account for the increased penetration of WFs brings challenges to the profitability of the WFs. A battery energy storage system (BESS), if sized optimally, can be a reliable method to fulfill the grid code requirements without sacrificing profit. This paper provides a techno‐economic model to find the optimal rated capacity and power for a BESS in WFs. This optimization model takes the absolute production and delta production constraints into account. Two approaches are studied for integrating these constraints into the grid code. It is shown that the flexible strategy financially outperforms the strict addition of the new rules. This will be useful, especially to attract investments in wind energy projects despite the abovementioned limitations in the grid code. All the modeling and analysis are done for a potential offshore wind power plant (OWPP) in Turkey. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the optimal BESS in increasing the amount of energy delivered to the grid and improving the profitability of the OWPP.

Numerical simulation and projection of wind resources in the northern South China Sea

High-resolution assessment of future wind resources is crucial for formulating appropriate energy strategies. However, the response of offshore wind energy to changing climate remains inconclusive. This study uses bias-corrected CMIP6 and time-varying sea surface temperature data to drive the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and project future changes in wind energy resources in the northern South China Sea (SCS) under SSP2–4.5 and SSP5–8.5 scenarios for 2050 and 2100. The findings indicate that wind resources in the waters north of 18°N in the northern SCS generally show an increased change, with greater wind resources in 2100 than in 2050. The SSP5–8.5 scenario exhibits a more significant increase than the SSP2–4.5 scenario. The future wind energy changes in the western and eastern nearshore waters of Guangdong, where numerous offshore wind power plants are currently established, are largely consistent with the overall change in the northern SCS. Nevertheless, there may be a decreased change in future wind resources in the central and eastern regions of the SCS.

Operation of DR–HVdc-Connected Grid-Forming Wind Turbine Converters Using Robust Loop-Shaping Controllers

Off-shore wind power plants can be connected to the on-shore grid using diode rectifier HVdc links. As diode rectifiers are passive converters, off-shore WPPs require grid-forming capability. This paper shows how to improve the WTG dynamic response and the voltage and current harmonic rejection by using H∞-based controllers. The paper explains how to synthesise three different H∞ voltage controllers: the first is a single-loop H∞ controller, the second is a cascaded H∞ controller and the third is a proportional–resonant controller that is optimised using H∞ synthesis. The three H∞-based controllers improve the performance and the robustness obtained with a benchmark case PR controller tuned using the root locus technique. All the controllers are designed in continuous time and implemented in discrete time, applying bilinear discretisation with a sampling rate of 0.25 ms. Detailed PSCAD simulations validate the improvement of the performance and robustness, as well as an improvement in the harmonic rejection. The single H∞ controller shows the best combined characteristics of all tried controllers, at the expense of losing the separation between voltage and current control loops.

A green electrical matrix-based model for the energy transition: Maine, USA case example

Nowadays, climate change is a major global societal challenge that significantly increases environmental stress. Most international organizations and policies have promoted initiatives to minimize emissions, reduce fossil fuel dependence and increase renewable energy resource integration into different sectors. An energy transformation towards more renewable systems is thus a priority. Under this scenario, the present paper describes and evaluates an alternative energy conversion matrix-based model to combine sector electrification, power generation units from renewables, and new clean technologies. The proposed green matrix-based model allows analyzing future scenarios, including electricity participation in end-use consumption and electric power generated by renewables – potentially integrated into different sectors –. The proposed model is evaluated in the state of Maine (United States). This case study is focused on decarbonizing both residential heating and transport sector through the integration of large offshore wind power plant. Results and discussion is also included in the paper, providing expected energy demand reductions and decreasing emissions through the integration of renewables. This energy transition integration case study is proposed in three road-maps with different penetration rates and time scales. The proposed green matrix-based model can be also applied to other areas and energy resources, as an alternative way to analyze and estimate renewable integration into different sectors.

Inter-array cabling optimization in offshore wind power plants, a new reliability indicator for radial grids.

The inter-array grid relates to a significant share of the investments into an offshore wind power plant (OWPP). Optimizing the cable connections regarding costs and reliability is a mathematically complex task due to the high variety of possible wind and component (wind turbine or cable) failure scenarios. This paper presents a novel mixed integer linear programming approach to support investment decisions into OWPPs by trading off cabling purchase and installation costs with power capacity risk (PCR), which is defined as a length-weighed cumulative power flow summation that reflects the consequences of cable failures. Then, quasi-random Monte Carlo simulations assess the optimized collection grids (CGs) to quantify their levelized cost of energy (LCOE). To construct relevant case studies, this work investigates the real OWPPs Ormonde, Horns Rev 1, Thanet, and London Array, which contain 30, 80, 100, and 175 wind turbines. The results reveal Pearson correlation coefficients around 0.99 between the proposed PCR and the expected energy not supplied. Furthermore, this paper's findings indicate that minimum-cost CGs do not necessarily present the lowest LCOE.

A GIS-based FAHP and FEDAS analysis framework for suitable site selection of a hybrid offshore wind and solar power plant

This study presents a Geographic Information System (GIS) based suitable site selection methodology for a hybrid system that includes offshore wind and solar PV. The methodology utilizes open source databases about decision criteria and applies this data using GIS to determine suitable sites for offshore wind and solar PV systems. For the assessment of multi-criteria which affect the potential hybrid energy power plants and the determination of the best suitable areas, Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and Fuzzy Evaluation based on Distance Average Solution (FEDAS) are used in the study. Results show that technical criteria has the priority weight of 0.60 while the weight of social criteria is about 0.07. Among sub-criteria, the wind speed has the highest priority weight while distance to port and visibility are the highest criteria of priority weight under economic and social main criteria, respectively. Among the alternatives, Area 2 (A-2) is determined as the best alternative for hybrid offshore power plants in the study area. This proposed methodology can be utilized by decision-makers to determine the best suitable locations for hybrid offshore wind and solar PV systems at any location. This paper suggests a new approach integrating GIS, fuzzy setbased AHP and EDAS as a novelty.

Development of Offshore Wind Power Plants on Lakes Ladoga and Onega

Development of Offshore Wind Power Plants on Lakes Ladoga and Onega

EUROPEAN OFFSHORE NETWORK WITH WIND POWER PLANTS

Problems The growth of electricity consumption and the change in climatic conditions present society with the challenge of ensuring sustainable and ecologically clean electricity production. For many countries, especially in the European Union, the transition to sustainable and ecologically clean energy sources has become a priority.
 Objective A general overview and analysis of trends in the development of the network of offshore wind power plants located in the open sea on the continental shelf of European countries
 Methodology of implementation The strategy for the development of a single European offshore network with wind power plants was used for research. The study of the effectiveness and advantages of offshore power plants was carried out in the variability of the advanced countries of the European Union..
 Results An overview of the electric power industry of European countries that pursue an active policy in the field of offshore energy is given. The statistics on the generation of wind energy, the number and development of wind turbines in Europe are given. The main projects that have been implemented or are in the process of preparation have been considered. An analysis of the measures introduced by the European Union to increase the use of wind energy and reduce dependence on traditional energy sources and achieve carbon neutrality was performed.
 Conclusions The European offshore network with wind power plants has become an important component of sustainable energy development in the region. Statistics on the development of offshore wind energy indicate that European countries are actively working on the development of this sector, investing significant efforts and resources.

GIS-based MCDM dual optimization approach for territorial-scale offshore wind power plants

Despite the relevant potential of offshore resource to substantially mitigate the effects of climate change through the generation of renewable electricity, the full exploitation of such wind resource currently remains incomplete. To promote offshore wind energy projects, it is crucial to engage in comprehensive planning processes that encompass technical, social, environmental, stakeholder, and political considerations. Within this framework, this paper presents a combined approach based on Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methodology to optimize the selection of offshore wind farm locations. The proposed methodology includes annual net electricity production as a critical factor in the decision-making process, which has been previously optimized with regard to the wake effect. Subsequently, the determination of potential locations involves key criteria such as technical feasibility, environmental impact, economic viability, and power generation potential. This MCDM-GIS approach was applied and evaluated in a case study along the Spanish coastline, considering 92 initial alternatives. The results indicate that the offshore wind energy targets established for Spain in 2030 and 2050 should be reevaluated, as the optimal utilization of the available area represents only 16% of the total potential area. Based on the aforementioned criteria, a suitability map was generated by integrating all relevant map layers, including their respective buffer zones.

Design and control of all-DC offshore wind power plant with MMC-based DC/DC high-power converters

This paper presents the modelling of an all-direct-current (all-DC) offshore wind power plant (OWPP) which employs DC/DC high-power converters based on modular multilevel converter (MMC) technology. A coordinated control strategy for such OWPP, designed to maximise the power output and maintain the DC voltages close to the nominal values, is also proposed. With the proposed strategy, wind turbines (WTs) are controlled to provide maximum power output according to a local maximum power point tracking (MPPT) reference signal together with a centralised curtailment signal. The response of the designed 600 MW all-DC OWPP is tested by means of dynamic simulations in MATLAB/Simulink.

Parameter analysis on the harmonic amplification for offshore wind power plants: A case study in the Netherlands

Parameter analysis on the harmonic amplification for offshore wind power plants: A case study in the Netherlands

An integrated Bayesian Best-Worst Method and GIS-based approach for offshore wind power plant site selection: A case study in North Aegean and Marmara Sea (Türkiye)

In today’s world, renewable energy sources are in great demand due to the negative effects of fossil fuels on the environment. Wind power plants are an important renewable energy source alternative to fossil fuel consumption. Offshore wind farms established in coastal areas and seas are used effectively in many parts of the world. The wind power plants, especially in the Northwest region of Turkey and the Aegean coasts, constitute an important potential. This study selects suitable sites for offshore wind farms in the Marmara Sea and North Aegean Coasts of Turkey by integrating the Bayesian Best-Worst method (BWM) and GIS. Bayesian BWM improves the traditional BWM integrating the preferences of multiple experts. In the study, 17 sub-criteria were determined under four main criteria of “technical”, “socio-economic”, “environment,” and “location”. Experts’ judgments through the filled enabled the criterion weights to be obtained. The criteria weights found using the Bayesian-BWM model were integrated into the GIS, and suitable locations for the offshore wind farm were determined. Accordingly, the study area off the coasts of Aliağa, Bozcaada, and Gökçeada on the North Aegean coast, and the part south of the Marmara Sea and the area around Kapıdağ Peninsula are suggested as suitable areas for wind power plants.