Hitachi ABB Power Grids launches new transformers for floating offshore wind power

Transformers for floating projects will increase offshore wind potential by enabling a new generation of floating substations and turbines.

Hitachi ABB Power Grids launched a portfolio of transformer products for offshore floating applications, designed to overcome the challenging offshore environment and withstand the physically demanding conditions on floating structures. The portfolio will enable much greater volumes of wind to be efficiently harvested and integrated into the global energy system, directly supporting the transition to a sustainable energy future.

Building offshore presents many challenges beyond the harsh saltwater environment. So far, only a small fraction of offshore potential has been exploited, as in many areas the seabed is not suitable and depths of 60 m are not feasible for fixed structures.

Floating substations and floating wind turbines offer a solution, which can be used in deeper waters, vastly increasing the available global capacity for developing offshore wind energy. Yet floating systems come with their own challenges: over their entire lifetime they are constantly in motion and can be exposed to vibrations and shocks from waves up to 15 m in height.

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