ABB has been selected to supply several critical components for the Zhangbei high-voltage direct current (HVDC) grid in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area in China.
Image: ABB to supply components for China’s first HVDC grid. Photo: Courtesy of ABB.
ABB stated that this grid will enable in integrating remote wind, solar and hydro energy in a transmission ring to ensure optimization of power flow. The HVDC grid was designed by the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC).
The company was selected by SGCC to supply HVDC Light valve, wall bushings, transformer components, high-voltage capacitors and power semiconductor devices.
The Swiss electrical equipment-maker stated that HVDC is a highly efficient technology for transmitting large amounts of electricity over long distances with minimal losses.
Traditionally, they are used in point-to-point links, but the Zhangbei pilot project will have several stations are connected with each other in a network. This method is expected to optimize the use of renewables while ensuring reliability of power supply.
Besides ABB, several local suppliers are supplying key components for the project, which will be an advanced Voltage Sourced Converter (VSC) HVDC system with four interconnected stations in a ring network and deliver up to 4.5GW of clean energy.
ABB power grids division president Claudio Facchin said: “ABB pioneered commercial HVDC technology more than sixty years ago and introduced crucial innovations like HVDC Light and ultra-high HVDC (UHVDC) transmission to ensure reliable and efficient power supplies.
“ABB’s participation in this project reflects SGCC’s ongoing confidence in ABB’s proven HVDC expertise and our long-term efforts to help China strengthen its power infrastructure while minimizing environmental impact.”
VSC-HVDC technology was first introduced by ABB in 1997 and the company called it HVDC Light. This system is claimed to control the power flow between grid locations, move electricity with minimal losses and support voltage and frequency of weak grids such as isolated wind farms.
Recently, the company secured an order worth $20m from Furnas – Centrais Elétricas to supply electrical systems that will enable existing alternating current (AC) lines to transmit higher levels of power to the densely populated Southeast of Brazil.