Hitachi Energy a market and technology leader in transmission, distribution and grid automation solutions, and Petrofac, an international service provider to the energy industry, have entered into a collaboration to provide grid integration and associated infrastructure, in order to support the rapidly growing offshore wind market.
This collaboration builds on the complementary core technologies and expertise of both companies in offshore wind, in order to support the decarbonization of power systems and deliver clean energy. It covers high-voltage direct current (HVDC), as well as high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) solutions.
HVDC Light and modular HVAC grid technologies
Hitachi Energy’s HVDC Light and modular HVAC grid technologies and solutions, and Petrofac’s world-class engineering, procurement, construction and installation capabilities for offshore platforms and offshore and onshore civil works, will bring considerable benefits to the efficient implementation of offshore wind projects and help accelerate the energy transition.
As leaders in our respective fields, this collaboration will create added value for our customers"
Niklas Persson, the Managing Director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business, said “We are delighted to collaborate with Petrofac to help meet the growing need for large-scale offshore wind generation and deliver clean renewable electricity to consumers. As leaders in our respective fields, this collaboration will create added value for our customers and help accelerate the energy transition.”
Hitachi Energy and Petrofac partnership
Niklas Persson adds, “Our HVDC and HVAC solutions are key enablers of the transition to a global energy system that is more sustainable, flexible and secure.”
Elie Lahoud, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) - Engineering & Construction of Petrofac, said “Offshore wind plays a crucial role in the transition to clean, affordable energy and we’ve been successfully delivering major projects in the sector for more than a decade now.”
Elie Lahoud adds, “Hitachi Energy is well known for its long track record in providing innovative technologies and solutions across the power grid value chain. We look forward to bringing our industry-leading experience and deep domain knowledge together, to benefit our customers and power millions more homes using renewable energy.”
Hitachi Energy HVDC offshore wind projects
Hitachi Energy is also a globally renowned supplier of grid connection solutions for AC offshore wind farms
Recent Hitachi Energy HVDC offshore wind projects include Dogger Bank, the world’s largest offshore wind farm off the UK coast, and four of the DolWin and BorWin HVDC hubs that connect multiple wind farms in the North Sea to the German power grid.
Hitachi Energy is also a globally renowned supplier of grid connection solutions for the AC offshore wind farms industry.
Offshore wind energy See unprecedented growth
Offshore wind is undergoing unprecedented growth globally. In 2021, a record 15.7 gigawatts (GW) of capacity were added, compared to around 5.2 GW per year in 2020 and 2019, according to the World Forum Offshore Wind.
Hitachi Energy pioneered HVDC almost 70 years ago and has delivered more than half of the world’s HVDC projects and more than 70 percent of the world’s voltage source converter (HVDC Light) installations.
HVDC Light
HVDC Light is the technology of choice for transferring power over long distances from offshore wind farms to the mainland grid.
Its defining features include uniquely compact converter stations (which is extremely important in space-critical applications like offshore wind platforms), exceptionally low electrical losses of less than 1 percent, and black-start capability to restore power after a grid outage.
