The scientific idea
Offshore wind generation plays a crucial role in achieving the European Green Deal and the EU’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050. The EU aims for 300 GW of installed offshore wind capacity, with a significant portion expected to come from floating wind technology by 2050. This approach unlocks wind potential in deeper waters, far from shore. However, for floating wind technology to succeed, it must become fully commercial and competitive. A key challenge is the development of cost-effective, long-distance submarine cable transmission systems.
High-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology has emerged as the preferred solution for transmitting electricity over long distances. Meeting EU targets will require the installation and maintenance of vast networks of reliable HVDC cables. Unfortunately, dynamic HVDC export cables, essential for GW-scale floating offshore wind farms, are not yet commercially available. Existing dynamic cables operate on alternating current (AC) at lower voltages (33 kV and 66 kV), which cannot handle the future transmission demands. This gap in technology is seen as a major obstacle to maximising the utilisation of floating offshore wind resources, with around 80% of the world’s offshore wind potential in waters deeper than 60 metres.
The DCDYNAMIC project aims to address this challenge by developing a new dynamic HVDC export cable. The project will establish a comprehensive understanding of the electrical, mechanical, and thermal stresses these cables face, leading to the creation of rigorous testing protocols. By doing so, DCDYNAMIC will ensure these cables are reliable and fit for dynamic offshore applications.
Additionally, the project will explore the end-of-life recycling options for the XLPE insulation, aligning with the EU’s circular economy goals. By reducing risks and increasing confidence in the new cable technology, DCDYNAMIC will help make floating offshore wind projects more insurable and financially viable. The project also plans to design, manufacture, and test a 320 kV dynamic export cable prototype, develop models for evaluating the aging mechanisms, and create monitoring techniques to further improve reliability and financial viability of future floating offshore wind projects.
Objectives
OBJECTIVE 1
Understand cable failure causes and create tools for monitoring and predicting cable conditions.
DCDYNAMIC consortium will unravel the causes of failure in DC insulation materials, helping to better understand the factors that contribute to wear and breakdown over the life of a cable. This will include examining how different factors work together to speed up damage. Additionally, DCDYNAMIC will develop new tools to locate faults and monitor the condition of cables, ultimately improving their reliability, safety, and performance.
OBJECTIVE 2
Test and confirm the reliability of insulation in new DC dynamic export cable technology.
DCDYNAMIC will focus on validating the insulation reliability of a new type of DC dynamic export cable in laboratory conditions, followed by testing in real-world industrial environments. The project will involve testing the performance of a 320 kV dynamic DC cable core in the lab, while also identifying the limitations of current offshore monitoring systems. DCDYNAMIC project will develop tools for modeling the cable’s lifetime, monitoring its condition, and locating faults. A comprehensive approach will combine laboratory testing, modeling, and full-scale tests to ensure the technology meets the needs of stakeholders and end-users.
OBJECTIVE 3
Reduce the environmental impact of HVDC insulation components through sustainable design.
DCDYNAMIC aims to reduce the environmental impact of High Voltage Dynamic Cable (HVDC) insulation by focusing on circular design principles for XLPE (crosslinked polyethylene) materials. The project will develop a lab-scale process to break down the crosslinks in XLPE using sustainable methods, improving the recyclability of the material. DCDYNAMIC consortium will explore ways to extend the life cycle of cable materials, while carefully examining both new and recycled materials used in cable insulation.
OBJECTIVE 4
Support the future development and adoption of the technology through technical and economic assessments.
DCDYNAMIC aims to build confidence in the performance of new DC dynamic cables by contributing to industry standards for design and testing, supporting third-party certification, and enhancing insurance options. The knowledge gained through this project will help speed up the adoption of floating offshore wind technology, laying the foundation for broader technological and economic growth.
Work Packages
DCDYNAMIC is organised into nine closely connected work packages (WPs) each with different partners in charge of specific tasks. This setup encourages close teamwork both between institutions and across the Work Packages.
Explore the diagram closely by moving your mouse over it and clicking.
WP1: Aging in Insulation Materials
Lead Partner: ETHZ
WP1 unravels how insulation materials age under mechanical, electrical, and thermal stresses in DC dynamic applications. This includes conducting combined mechanical and electrical tests at a laboratory scale.
WP2: Upscaling Model Cable
Lead Partner: UNIMAN
WP2 focuses on scaling up cable setups and refining test methods for dynamic DC cables, transitioning from experimental investigations to large-scale cable validation testing.
WP3: Cable Lifetime and Monitoring Tools
Lead Partner: UPC
WP3 develops a new cable lifetime model, a condition monitoring tool for DC dynamic cables, and an accurate fault location system for long-length DC cables. Additionally, methods are created generating fault location and condition monitoring signals from converter stations.
WP4: Combined Testing
Lead Partner: NKT
WP4 tests the parameters needed for larger-scale validation. To support this, global analysis studies are conducted to develop a test program that simulates actual application and identifies methods to detect potential abnormalities.
WP5: Large-Scale Demonstration
Lead Partner: NKT
WP5 demonstrates a large-scale dynamic HVDC export cable core through sequential and combined electrical and mechanical testing in industry-relevant environments.
WP6: Cable Sustainability
Lead Partner: UNIVIE
WP6 investigates the recyclability of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables, improving their sustainability.
WP7: Knowledge Transfer
Lead Partner: S&B
WP7 is dedicated to transferring the knowledge gained from the project to all interested stakeholders, maximizing the impact of the results, and accelerating the technology’s rollout to the market.
WP8: Communication Dissemination and Exploitation
Lead Partner: ARTTIC
WP8 is centered on effectively communicating and disseminating project results, engaging with stakeholders, and exploring the potential for exploiting the project’s outcomes.
WP9: Project Management
Lead Partner: UNIMAN
WP9 establishes a collaborative framework and management structure to monitor progress and ensure the achievement of project´s objectives.