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Press Release11 April 2022Siemens EnergyBerlin
Less waste, more security of supply: Siemens Energy receives major order for first power connection to Great Britain
Wind energy is a key part of
decarbonization in many countries. Globally installed onshore and offshore wind
energy capacity has increased nearly 75-fold over the past two decades. Germany
and Great Britain are among the world leaders in terms of installed wind power
capacity. However, due to grid bottlenecks, excess wind energy in Germany often
cannot be fed into the grid. Wind turbines must therefore be switched off
regularly (so-called curtailment), otherwise the grid could be overloaded and,
in the worst case, a black out could occur. In order to avoid this waste of
energy and the costly curtailment in the future, the NeuConnect power link will
transport the excess power from Germany to Great Britain, and vice versa if
necessary. In the long term, both countries will benefit from access to a more
diverse and sustainable energy mix and from increased resilience. This ensures
greater security of supply and flexibility in the power supply.
"If we want to achieve the switch to
renewable energy quickly, safely and affordably, we can no longer afford to
have to curtail wind energy due to grid bottlenecks and have to cover demand
elsewhere with fossil-based power generation," says Tim Holt, member of
the board of Siemens Energy. “The electricity connection between Germany and
Great Britain represents the increasing integration of the European electricity
market. Efficient and cross-border electricity connections unite the countries
in their efforts to decarbonize. They are the perfect example that we can only
achieve the energy transition together.”
To connect the two power
grids, Siemens Energy will build two turnkey HVDC converter stations - one in the Isle of Grain in England, the other in the Wilhelmshaven region in the north
of Germany. The converter station on one side of the link converts AC voltage
to DC voltage so that the energy can be transmitted with as little loss as
possible. The energy is then transported through British, Dutch and German
waters via a 720-kilometer-long HVDC submarine cable system from Prysmian. In the
other converter station, the direct current is converted back into alternating
current and fed into the national grid, which brings the energy to the sockets
of the consumers.
In
addition to power transmission, the HVDC PLUS system from Siemens Energy will also
perform other important functions in the grid: It can regulate the AC voltage
and thus stabilize weak AC grids. In the event of an error, it can restart
network segments that have been switched off. Like a firewall on a computer,
the HVDC system prevents the problem from spreading to other parts of the
network via a domino effect if there is a disruption in the network.
The European Commission supports the
cross-border infrastructure project as it promotes decarbonization in line with
the Paris Agreement. The project is expected to be completed by the middle of
this decade.
Siemens Energy is one of the world’s leading energy technology companies. The company works with its customers and partners on energy systems for the future, thus supporting the transition to a more sustainable world. With its portfolio of products, solutions and services, Siemens Energy covers almost the entire energy value chain – from power generation and transmission to storage. The portfolio includes conventional and renewable energy technology, such as gas and steam turbines, hybrid power plants operated with hydrogen, and power generators and transformers. More than 50 percent of the portfolio has already been decarbonized. A majority stake in the listed company Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) makes Siemens Energy a global market leader for renewable energies. An estimated one-sixth of the electricity generated worldwide is based on technologies from Siemens Energy. Siemens Energy employs around 91,000 people worldwide in more than 90 countries and generated revenue of €28.5 billion in fiscal year 2021.