VSC HVDC transmission and offshore grid design for a linear generator based wave farm

This paper analyzes technical issues with the installation of a linear generator based offshore wave farm using a Voltage Source Converter (VSC) HVDC connection to the onshore grid. Design issues are introduced by summarizing the current status of VSC HVDC technology and related installations, research in the use of VSC HVDC for offshore wind farms, and characteristics of wave energy converters using linear generators. A DC bus wave farm design using a linear generator model is presented and simulations using time shifted and variable amplitude wave inputs demonstrate the effect of increasing the size of the wave farm on smoothing short-term variations in the power output due to wave oscillations.