Come take a look at the world’s largest wind energy converter
Colm Gorey, Colm Gorey Was A Senior Journalist With Silicon Republic
The Norwegian town of Haugesund was treated to a rather amazing sight this week in the form of the world’s largest offshore wind energy converter — which towers 100m in the air, making it as tall as Big Ben. The world’s largest offshore wind energy converter has been dubbed the DolWin beta by its producers ABB – which has offices in Ireland – and is being towed out to its new home in the North Sea. Its main purpose will be to convert the electricity generated by the offshore wind farms from alternating current (AC) into high-voltage direct current (HVDC) for efficient and reliable transmission to the mainland. Shipped from Dubai but built in the Norwegian town’s shipyard, the DolWin beta weighs around 23,000 tonnes and will secure itself to the ocean floor using an innovative self-installing gravity-based structure (GBS) concept. “Putting such a huge platform in place is one of the most delicate operations in the delivery of an offshore power link, requiring intensive pre-planning and cooperation between the stakeholders involved and we are pleased that this important project landmark has gone smoothly,” said Claudio Facchin, President, ABB Power Systems division.