In Europe and the UK, offshore wind has been a focus of renewable energy investment for decades.
The US and China are now planning installations as the race to net zero accelerates.
Australia, with its abundant shorelines, is starting to build an industry in its own right, with six offshore wind energy zones announced.
The first offshore wind project to be developed was off the coast of Gippsland, Victoria – located in relative proximity to the Hitachi Energy factory in Lilydale to the east of Melbourne.
Offshore wind, with its high generation capacity and proven viability, is crucial for Australia’s energy diversification and security.
The long-term business case for offshore wind farms is clear, but challenges remain, including consistency in policy framework and financing.
Industry players – from renewable developers to utilities and government – seek clarity on technology investment decisions best suited to the Australian environment and existing grid infrastructure and future-proof investments for clean energy success in the coming decades.
Addressing grid stability and intermittency
Australia’s Eastern states faced severe challenges last year with a combination of drought, low-wind conditions, and increased consumer demand for heating and cooling, driving energy prices to new levels.
The situation illustrated the ‘Dunkelflaute’ problem that comes with the intermittency of renewables.
Unique grid transformation challenges also arise from transitioning from predominantly centralised coal-fired power generation to ever more decentralised, edge-of-grid renewable energy plants needing to connect to the grid.
The retirement of coal power plants – essentially a large spinning mass – results in a lack of firming capacity and, thus, inherent instability in the power grid.
Hitachi Energy offers a portfolio of fully integrated solutions that help to enhance grid flexibility, resilience, and stability to address these issues and the needs of a fast-evolving power system.
Such power electronic-based solutions include high-voltage direct current (HVDC), static compensators (STATCOM and Enhanced STATCOM), Grid Forming Battery Energy Storage (BESS) solutions, premium converters, and semi-conductor technologies.
The success of large BESS projects in the National Electricity Market and other remote areas to provide a range of essential Power Systems Services has proven key to increased network stability.
Some selected examples include ESCRA-SA Dalrymple (30 MW/8 MWh), Darwin-Katherine (35MW/35MWh), BESS Spinning Reserve at Rio Tinto’s Tom Price mine (45 MW/12 MWh), Alinta’s Newman Power Station (35 MW/12 MWh) and the Waratah Super Battery project led by Akaysha Energy (850MW/1680MWh).
Building more interconnections
Australia does not have a single interconnected grid but several disconnected power systems, the largest of which are on the East Coast.
The electrical interconnection between geographies and the potential to connect new gigawatt (GW) scale generation in remote areas to load centres drive the need for long-distance, high-power, low-loss cross-border interconnection solutions.
High-voltage direct current (HVDC), a technology Hitachi Energy pioneered over 70 years ago, is one of the key enablers for reliable bulk energy resources integration and interconnection across regions.
In Australia, this technology powers some of the country’s largest inter-connectors, including Marinus Link, which will use advanced converter technology at both ends of the link to stabilise and integrate more and more renewables into the power grid.
Learnings from the UK and Northern Europe
Hitachi Energy is a major global player in offshore wind, with technology solutions connecting more than 38GW of offshore wind power to the grid, bringing clean power to millions globally.
Hitachi Energy has been supporting the offshore wind industry in Europe and the UK by connecting larger wind farms further away from the shore with HVDC links.
As an experienced and valued industry partner, it introduced hybrid transmission systems, floating offshore platforms, and higher voltage 66kV as the new standard for offshore wind farm arrays.
The company also works with EPCs and developers to optimise investments and maximise revenues through consulting, planning, and data insight services.
Opportunity for enhanced energy security through diversification
Integrating offshore wind into Australia’s power systems presents significant opportunities for enhancing energy security and diversifying renewable energy sources.
While challenges like policy consistency, financing, and grid stability remain, leveraging advanced technologies like HVDC and grid-forming inverters can address these issues.
Learning from global projects in Northern Europe, Australia can develop robust strategies to overcome these challenges and ensure a sustainable energy future.
Strong partnerships and digital transformation are key to modernising the grid and supporting the transition to a more decentralised and resilient energy system.
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