HVDC Light for large offshore wind farm integration

Integration of large offshore wind farms with the existing grid poses significant techno-economical challenges. As offshore wind farms are moving towards higher power and higher distance from shore, voltage source converter based high voltage direct current (VSC-HVDC) systems have proven technically advantageous and more cost-efficient than conventional high voltage alternating current (HVAC) transmission. The paper discusses the various advantages of connecting offshore wind farms with the onshore grid using HVDC Light - ABB's product name of VSC-HVDC technology. The paper gives an overview of HVDC Light converter and cable technologies and introduces several HVDC Light projects for offshore wind integration.