OREANDA-NEWS. August 26, 2015.  A new AC power connection module for near-shore wind turbines is expected to cut the cost of accessing the grid for such installations by as much as 40 percent. This solution from Siemens thus also reduces the cost of energy from offshore wind farms. In contrast to conventional AC transformer platforms, the new module can be mounted directly on the foundation of an existing wind turbine thanks to its small and lightweight dimensions, thereby minimizing materials, time expenditures and risk. A biodegradable insulating fluid also makes this decentralized solution extremely environmentally friendly. Siemens recently presented it at the EWEA offshore conference in Copenhagen.

Transformer substations are a core part of wind farms. They are critical for transmitting the electricity generated from wind turbines to the mainland at higher voltages via subsea cables, which results in lower energy losses. Previous solutions were always built on an additional platform structure and due to their size & enormous weight (1,800 to 4,000 metric tons), added tens of millions Euros, and in some cases hundreds of millions Euros, to project costs.