Modeling of an offshore wind power plant: the Hornsea II test case

The most recent global energy transformation roadmap, provided by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), outlines a pathway for the global energy system to align with the goals of the Paris Agreement. The primary aim of this agreement is to limit global warming to "well below 2◦ C." By 2050, renewable energy in the power sector could reach 86%, representing two-thirds of the total primary energy supply mix. To achieve this goal, the importance of Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) technologies is paramount. RESs encompass photovoltaic energy, wind energy, hydro-power energy, and more. Wind energy, in particular, has witnessed exponential growth in installed capacity, both onshore and offshore, since the beginning of the century. This thesis will focus on offshore wind power plants which have been gaining popularity recently, primarily due to their advantages over onshore installations, both in terms of installable capacity and environmental impact. It begins with an overview of state-of-the-art technologies used in wind turbines and energy collection and transmission systems to the mainland. Following this, a real-world case study is examined, centered on the Hornsea II project, an offshore wind farm located off the coast of Yorkshire (UK), with an impressive installed capacity of 1.3 GW, powered by 165 wind turbines, which became fully operational on 31 August 2022. Leveraging existing literature and incorporating all essential assumptions, various components of Hornsea II will be modeled, including the turbines, transformers, transmission lines, and so on. The ultimate turbine model consists of a constant power source, represented by a controlled current generator, ensuring the regulation of the current (and thus the power) injected into the grid. This methodology is typical for GFL (Grid-Following) converters, commonly used in the implementation of RESs. The model, of course, will be further detailed in the thesis. At the end, following the presentation of turbine and transmission line models, a comprehensive scenario will be presented, depicting the entire offshore wind farm connected to the main grid.