Hitachi ABB and BW Ideol build on past work for new floating wind substation design

Power technology giant and offshore wind pioneer to develop an industrial-scale concept for large-scale deepwater projects

Floating substation based on BW Ideol floating platform
Floating substation based on BW Ideol floating platformFoto: Ideol

Power technology giant Hitachi ABB Power Grids has inked a memorandum of understanding with BW Ideol to develop an industrial-scale floating substation design for floating wind farms.

The design, which will be based on BW Ideol’s low-draft ‘damping pool’ platform, will feature transformers, switchgear and other high-voltage technology being specially developed by Hitachi ABB for the sector.

The two companies have “worked closely together for several years to co-create a standardised and modular solution” that answers market requirements for wind power production in “in the most challenging environmental and seabed conditions”, said BW Ideol CEO Paul de la Guérivière.

“We are accelerating the delivery of a market-ready floating substation offering and solution via this unique collaboration.

“Supported by the solid offshore experience of our strategic investor BW Offshore, the collaboration will be able to deliver fully integrated technical and financial solutions,” added de la Guérivière.

Alfredo Parres, head of renewables at Hitachi ABB Power Grids, said: “Our pioneering modular, scalable substations use proven technologies to make possible this leap into floating renewable energy.”

“Partnering BW Ideol to provide a single solution that helps offshore wind power developers and independent power producers enter deeper waters.”

Oil & gas player BW Offshore took a “strategic ownerhip” stake in Ideol in February with the aim of creating a “global floating wind champion”.
Floating wind markets are on the verge of explosive growth globally with analysts expecting a near-1,000-fold expansion of the current fleet as international supply chains take shape to support development of commercial-scale projects around the world, including in key markets in Europe’s northern seas, the US Pacific and off Asia Pacific, where DNV believes half of the 260GW of worldwide floating wind forecast will be turning by 2050
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Published 23 June 2021, 08:27Updated 23 June 2021, 08:27
Hitachi ABBBW IdeolOffshore windOffshoreEurope