Supporting the growth of China’s fast-developing wind power market

China is a leader in wind power generation and with its long coastline, the potential for adding to its current onshore wind generation with offshore wind power capacity is significant. Hitachi Energy technology customized for the offshore environment is playing its part in the growth of China’s offshore wind sector.

Hitachi Energy contributed to the 150-MW Rudong Offshore Wind Farm of China Guangdong Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC), one of a number of offshore wind farms located in the Yellow Sea. It supplied power products and solutions to Asia’s first 110-kilovolt (kV) offshore wind booster station. The project was successfully energized at the end of 2015.

In this project, Hitachi Energy supplied a GSU liquid-filled 160 MVA/110 kV power transformer. Hitachi Energy used its global Trafostar^® technology platform to design and optimize the transformer for the specific offshore application. Special characteristics of the transformer include low losses, low partial discharge, low temperature rise and high short circuit withstanding strength. Using its global experience in offshore transformer applications, the design included a special coating process and high quality offshore accessories to meet anti-corrosion class ISO12944 C5-M.

Along with the transformer, the Hitachi Energy’s scope of supply includes 110 kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), low-voltage and medium-voltage switchgear, a direct current system and uninterruptible power supply (UPS), a grounding transformer and a resistor cabinet. Most of the products have special designs to cope with the damp and windy operation environment off the shore.

The estimated annual power generation capacity of the CGN Rudong 150MW offshore wind power demonstration project is 400 million kWh, enough to power 400,000 Chinese homes.