ABB, a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, industrial automation and power grids, said it has  sealed a strategic partnership with Aibel, a Norwegian engineering group playing a key role in the oil, gas and renewable energy sector, to deliver state-of-the-art offshore wind integration solutions across the globe.

As per the deal, ABB will focus on its proven high voltage direct current (HVDC) technology, while Aibel will take turnkey engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) responsibility for the design, construction, installation and commissioning of the offshore platforms, said the company in a statement.

The partnership will combine the core competencies of the two companies to deliver best-in-class solutions. The partners will collaborate on the design, engineering and optimization of offshore wind connections, it added.

On the partnership, ABB chief executive Ulrich Spiesshofer, said: "We are proud to partner with Aibel to tap the vast opportunities of the ongoing Energy Revolution and related offshore wind infrastructure investments. Together, we intend to grow our businesses by complementing each other’s strengths in unique customer services for offshore wind projects."

“Strategic partnerships like this are a core pillar of our Next Level strategy and help us to drive growth while mitigating risk,” he noted.

According to Spiesshofer, the integration of power generated by offshore wind farms into national electrical grids requires complex engineering.

"A key part is the conversion of power from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) for low-loss transmission, often over long distances, to connect remote offshore wind farms to the mainland grid," he explained.

This DC power is subsequently converted back to AC once on land and then distributed for consumption. The HVDC system incorporates sophisticated technology to ensure the optimum integration of intermittent renewables and control of power flows. The offshore part of the HVDC system is housed on a specially designed platform, he added.

Jan Skogseth, the president and chief executive of Aibel, said: "We are very pleased to sign this co-operation agreement with ABB. Both ABB and Aibel have a proven track record of providing leading-edge solutions in their respective areas of expertise."

"We have successfully worked together before and I am convinced that with our combined strengths we will be a leading force to reckon with," he noted.

HVDC remains the technology of choice for transmitting large amounts of power, over long distances, efficiently and reliably and is ideal for the integration of remote renewable energy sources like offshore wind, he added.

ABB said it has pioneered the technology more than 60 years ago and further developed the technology in the 1990s by introducing a voltage sourced converter (VSC) solution named HVDC Light.

It is a market leader in HVDC, with an installed capacity of more than 120,000 megawatts – around half the global installed base. This includes 18 of the 24 VSC HVDC projects commissioned worldwide.

Claudio Facchin, the president of Power Grids at ABB, said: "Offshore wind power transmission projects are inherently complex in nature, deploying cutting-edge technologies, and ABB has gained significant experience in this area."

"This partnership with Aibel will help us to leverage the specialized competencies of both companies and enhance our overall value proposition for customers,” stated Facchin.

“It reinforces our Next Level strategy to focus on our core technology strengths like HVDC and build new business models, as we pursue profitable growth opportunities,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service