Reducing the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) in offshore wind through a disruptive silicon carbide converter technology, SiCtek

如果平准化能源成本（LCOE）能够与其他低碳发电具有竞争力，那么海上风电的全球市场潜力巨大。电力电子转换器是海上涡轮传动系统和高压直流（HVDC）网络电力传输的主要部件。主导市场的硅基转换器的效率和经济性已经趋于稳定，但最近推出的化合物半导体，如碳化硅（SiC），有可能从根本上改善转换器的性能、可靠性和经济性。该项目旨在通过设计、建造和测试一个50千瓦的原型转换器，作为海上和高压直流应用的大型转换器的基石，证明和展示SiC转换器技术的优势和经济性。

There are substantial global market potentials for offshore wind if the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) could become competitive with alternative low-carbon power generations. The power electronics converter is a major component in offshore turbine drivetrains and power transmission via High Voltage DC (HVDC) networks. The efficiency and economics of market dominating Silicon-based converters have plateaued, but recently introduced compound semiconductors such as Silicon Carbide (SiC) have the potential to deliver radical improvements to performance, reliability and economics of converters. This project aims to prove and demonstrate the benefits and economics of a SiC converter technology through design, build and testing of a 50 kW prototype converter as a building block for large-scale converters for offshore and HVDC applications.