Advanced Materials and Manufacture of High Voltage AC and DC Power Cables for Deepwater Offshore Wind Applications

海上风力发电比陆上风力发电面临更恶劣的环境，这可能对关键基础设施的可靠性带来更大的挑战。对于海上风电场的经济成功至关重要的一项资产是海底电缆传输基础设施。这包括阵列间和输出电缆，其故障可能会导致收入的重大损失，因为输出发电的可用性减少，以及监管机构施加的处罚。自2013年以来，由于海底电缆故障，海上发电量已损失8TWh，导致运营商损失10亿英镑。在海上风电行业，80%的保险索赔总成本归因于电缆故障，而海底电缆支出仅占新风电场资本成本的8%。随着在更深的水深和更远的海岸线上建造更大的海上风电场发展的趋势，这一点变得更加重要。这样做是为了利用更高的风速和更稳定的风频率，因为距离海岸线的距离增加，从而最大限度地提高发电能力和收入。此外，各国之间越来越多地使用海底电力交易电缆，也使电缆系统面临严峻的环境条件。高压深水海底电力电缆是复杂的复合结构，需要在水下环境中传导高电压和电流，并具有在恶劣海洋气象条件下安装的结构强度和灵活性。在这种苛刻的条件下，海底电缆系统面临更大的劣化和损坏风险，特别是由于水深的增加，其安装和操作受到材料、设计和制造的限制。因此，需要采用先进材料和制造工艺的更好电缆设计，以降低电缆故障的风险和后果。预计采用更坚固的电缆设计将降低电缆故障的可能性和频率。这将最大限度地减少故障海底电缆的维修和更换成本，从而提高发电和输电的可用性。该项目将BPP电缆解决方案和LS电缆和系统结合起来，使用新型材料和制造工艺开发先进的电缆设计，用于高压交流和直流电力电缆。预计这将解决现有海底电缆设计的已知缺点和限制。

Power generation from offshore wind is subject to harsher environments than onshore wind, which can cause greater challenges for the reliability of critical infrastructure. One asset that is fundamental to the economic success of an offshore wind farm is the subsea cable transmission infrastructure. This includes inter-array and export cables, failure of which can lead to significant loss of revenues through a reduction in the availability to export generated power, as well as penalties imposed by regulators.Since 2013, 8 TWh of electricity generated offshore has been lost due to subsea cable faults resulting in GBP \>1bn of losses for operators. In the offshore wind industry, 80% of the total cost of insurance claims are attributed to cable failures, while subsea cable expenditure only accounts for 8% of the capital cost of a new windfarm.This becomes more significant with the increasing trend to construct larger offshore windfarm developments at greater distances from the coast line in deeper water depths, This is done to take advantage of higher wind speeds and more stable wind frequencies as the distance from the coastline increases, thereby maximizing electrical generating capacities and revenues. Additionally, the increased use of submarine electricity trading cables between countries also exposes cabling systems to challenging environmental conditions.High voltage deep-water subsea power cables are complex composite structures required to conduct high voltages and currents in an underwater environment and to have the structural strength and flexibility to be installed in severe metocean conditions. Such demanding conditions expose submarine cabling systems to a greater risk of deterioration and damage, particularly from an increase in water depths, with significant limitations to their installation and operation arising from limitations from materials, design, and manufacture.Therefore, better cable designs utilising advanced materials and manufacturing processes are required to reduce the risk and consequence of cable failures. A move to more robust cable designs is anticipated to realise a reduction in the likelihood and frequency of cable failures. This will minimise the repair and replacement costs of failed submarine cabling and thereby increase electrical generation and transmission availability.This project brings together BPP Cable Solutions and LS Cable and Systems to develop advanced cable designs using novel materials and manufacturing processes for high voltage AC and DC power cables. This is anticipated to address the known shortcomings and limitations with existing submarine cable designs.