50Hertz, a German transmission system operator, has awarded a contract to a consortium comprising Siemens Energy and Dragados Offshore to construct a converter system.
This system will consist of an offshore converter platform for the LanWin3 North Sea grid connection project and an onshore converter station.
The Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation (EPCI) contract covers all aspects of design, component procurement, construction, transportation, and installation of both systems.
High-Tech European Manufacturing and 2 GW Standard
The high-tech converter components will be manufactured exclusively at European production facilities, with the offshore platform being constructed at Dragados Offshore’s shipyard in southern Spain.
Importantly, the converters will adhere to the 2 GW standard established by the transmission system operators (TSOs) TenneT, Amprion, and 50Hertz. The contract value is approximately €2.9 billion, and the involved parties have agreed to maintain confidentiality regarding further details.
LanWin3: Connecting Offshore Wind to the Mainland Grid
The LanWin3 offshore grid connection project will link an offshore wind farm in the North Sea to the mainland power grid. BP secured the wind farm area through an auction, and it is projected to have a capacity of 2,000 MW.
Located about 120 km northwest of Helgoland within Germany’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the wind farm will transmit power through a combined sea and land cable stretching over 200 km to the grid connection point in the Heide region of North Friesland.
Integration with Existing Infrastructure
At the onshore connection point, the LanWin3 (50Hertz) and LanWin2 (TenneT) offshore grid connection systems will be integrated with the NordOstLink.
This new high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line will efficiently transmit large quantities of electricity with minimal losses to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
The onshore converter station, to be built near Schwerin, will convert the direct current back to alternating current for grid distribution. Both the offshore grid connections and the HVDC line will operate at 525 kV to ensure efficient and reliable power transmission.