Making a world of difference in offshore wind

Distributed Control Systems

Making a world of difference in offshore wind

The power of wind

As the world transitions to cleaner energy sources, offshore wind will play an increasingly important role. The sector is projected to grow rapidly in the coming years, providing the world with access to an abundant energy source and supporting the transition to a sustainable energy system¹.

One of the advantages of offshore wind is that the electricity it generates can be transmitted over long distances. Additionally, surplus electricity can be used to produce hydrogen or used to charge batteries. This versatility makes offshore wind a valuable component of the energy transition, providing both direct electricity and stored energy.

Distributed Control Systems

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Helping the industry grow

ABB has been a pioneer in the offshore wind industry since its early days in the 1990s with its extensive experience in marine, offshore and subsea power systems. The company’s technology and engineering solutions are at the core of this sector, from supporting turbine installations and operations to ensuring the seamless flow of electricity into the grid, industrial applications, and homes. ABB’s automation, electrification and digital technology and expertise help this industry drive down costs, optimize production, and minimize energy losses.

Making a world of difference

Automating and electrifying offshore wind operations

Keeping offshore wind turbines working at optimum performance requires efficient and reliable control. ABB supports this with its automation technologies that safeguard and optimize performance under various operating conditions, as well as ensure safe and reliable grid connection.

ABB designs and integrates electrical systems for substations in offshore wind farms. These substations are crucial for collecting and increasing the voltage of electricity generated by wind turbines for efficient long-distance transmission to the onshore grid. ABB supports the entire process, from feasibility studies to technical consulting, ensuring smooth planning and execution from start to finish.

The role of digital

ABB’s digital control and monitoring technologies provide valuable insights into asset performance, covering critical areas such as electrical power simulation, installation, energy management, asset management, diagnostics, condition monitoring, maintenance, and cybersecurity.

Another important area is predictive maintenance, where ABB’s technology helps anticipate and address potential failures in wind turbines before they occur, ensuring continuous and efficient energy production.

A new wave of energy-efficient service vessels

As the demand for wind power grows, so does the need for vessels to carry out turbine installation and maintenance. ABB’s power, propulsion, automation, bridge, and control solutions support a variety of ships involved in offshore wind operations. The Azipod® electric propulsion helps wind turbine installation vessels optimize fuel and energy use, and makes precise positioning easier, which is crucial for safe and reliable operations when working alongside fixed structures.

ABB Ability™ Marine Advisory System – OCTOPUS is another solution key to vessels supporting offshore wind operations. It provides real-time decision support by translating the effect of weather conditions into the forecasting of vessel motions, therebyimproving safety and efficiency during operations at sea.

Ensuring reliable integration

With all its benefits for the clean energy transition, wind power has an intermittent nature – the wind doesn’t always blow. This poses a challenge, particularly for industrial processes that require a stable, reliable power supply. ABB’s distributed control system, ABB Ability™ System 800xA, addresses this by balancing the integration of renewable energy from offshore wind with the need for dependable power. It adapts and manages energy usage in response to supply fluctuations, shedding non-essential loads within milliseconds and with that helping prevent downtime. This allows for greater flexibility in integrating renewable energy sources such as wind, ensuring a more stable and efficient power supply. In addition, ABB’s energy management and optimization system helps maximize power production and optimize energy usage.

Accelerating clean wind power

Blade to grid, ABB helps accelerating clean wind power, with the goal of enabling energy-efficient, low-carbon operations, and realizing the potential of offshore wind as part of a renewable energy mix that will sustain future generations.

Building on decades of experience, ABB is making a world of difference in offshore wind.