ABB has won contracts worth over $150m to supply a range of technologies to help integrate and transmit power from the 1,400MW Hornsea Project Two offshore wind farm in the North Sea to the UK grid.

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Image: The Hornsea Project Two offshore wind farm in North Sea. Photo: courtesy of ABB.

Under the contracts, signed with Danish energy company Ørsted, ABB will be responsible for providing its Static Var Compensation (SVC) Light technology with advanced ABB Ability MACH control systems, high voltage gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), transformers, reactors and harmonic filters.

The scope of the contracts also includes engineering, supply, project management and commissioning of the digital control and protection systems for the onshore substation and the two offshore platform substations.

ABB’s Power Grids division president Claudio Facchin said: “We are delighted to partner with Ørsted for this strategic long term technology alliance and work towards our common goal of integrating more renewables into the grid and promoting sustainable energy solutions.

“Advanced technologies and ABB Ability-based digital solutions will play a key role in enhancing capacity and improving quality and reliability of electricity supplies to millions of people.

“This project reinforces ABB’s position as a partner of choice for enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid.”

Located in the North Sea about 100km off the Yorkshire coast, the Hornsea Two offshore wind farm will have capacity to produce clean electricity required to power more than 1.3 million homes annually.

The project, which is expected contribute to the UK’s aim to generate 15% of power from renewable sources by 2020, will use Static Compensations (STATCOMs) featuring ABB Ability MACH control, protection and monitoring system.

ABB said that he STATCOMs are designed to help offshore wind generating turbines increase power transfer capability, improve power quality and enhance grid stability.

Additionally, the wind project will use ABB Ability enabled MicroSCADA system for monitoring of the electricity network and gather data from Relion Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) and Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) to ensure safe and reliable grid integration system operations.