FACTS and HVDC Vital for Renewable Marine Energy Integration

Alstom participated in a €30 million Ocean Lider R&D project directed at the sustainable use of marine energy sources and its future objectives.

In this 4-year project, led by Iberdrola Engineering and Construction, Alstom’s assignment concentrated on the integration of marine energy sources into the grid through efficient technologies and solutions. The project objective was also to align priorities with EU 2020 energy sustainability targets.

Alstom concluded that FACTS (Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems) and HVDC (High-Voltage Direct Current) will be key to meeting the technical, economic and environmental requirements of operators.

Alstom Grid conveyed the research in association with the University of Madrid. It studied the impact of off-shore power generators, and their integration into the grid network through FACTS and HVDC solutions. Studies considered different offshore technologies (wind, wave and tidal) with efficient employment. The research also assessed the grid codes of various countries for compliance with different generation technologies and electricity transmission systems.

The Ocean Lider Project sheds light on the specific needs of marine energy generation and its integration into the electricity system. Conclusions demonstrate some of the most appropriate technologies, configurations and designs (redundancy levels, type and voltage level, types of compensation, dimensioning) for various applications. Alstom was able to establish more specifically the adequacy of FACTS and HVDC technologies in the context of marine energy generation for fast, flexible control of power delivered into the network.