High gain DC-DC converter for DC power transmission for offshore wind farms

Abstract

The public concerns for a potential alternative power generation has been attributed to global warming, depletion of fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions that associated with the operation of conventional power plants, health hazards, soil degradation, ozone layer depletion and high cost of fossil fuels. The life span of reserved fossil fuel based on the global record is short and this has prompted many government agencies to put different strategic structures or platforms in place and adopt green technologies as the prospective means of satisfying the load demand. With renewable energy, electricity production can be distributed to various customers by using microgrid system to shorten transmission and distribution distances and losses as well as to save costs. This research work proposes the use of DC transmission on offshore wind farms to solve electricity shortage problems based on some technical and economic benefits. The power generated from the offshore wind farms is three times higher than power generated from onshore wind farms since offshore winds are stronger than onshore winds. Hence, offshore wind should be harnessed by the independent power providers for electrical power production. The simulation was carried out by using PSIM and the results were analyzed to show the impacts of offshore winds on the optimal operation of the power system.