DC Connection of Offshore Wind Power Plants without Platform.

This paper introduces the concepts of platformless DC connections of offshore wind turbines. First, the paper describes the possible and preferred wind turbine drivetrain arrangements capable of producing sufficiently high DC voltage. Then, the electrical system designs appropriate for the platformless DC architectures are discussed. After that, the potential economic benefits of direct DC connections of offshore wind turbines are analyzed, showing significant CapEX reduction up to 20-25% when compared to the AC collection and transmission solutions. Control concepts of the wind farm plant and DC connection system are also briefly discussed. The paper concludes that the platformless DC connections would offer lower cost, higher efficiency and enhanced grid support, thus promising for medium and large offshore wind plants in many cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]