Rationalizable Integration Process of Offshore Wind Farms: A Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation Approach

Abstract:
The successful construction and integration of offshore wind power plants (OWPPs) are crucial for the energy transition, but they also pose challenges related to a grid consisting of 100% converter-based units. While current regulations impose specific requirements for OWPPs, they do not define guidelines for ensuring overall system stability or for validation methods of models intended for simulation studies. The ENGEL project was initiated to develop a structured process for integrating OWPPs. A new testing facility is planned, specifically designed for grid integration tests of offshore wind energy systems (OWES). Using a hardware-in-the-loop approach, realistic operating scenarios in the offshore energy system will be emulated to validate or expand the validity ranges of models and to minimize risks in the operation of the actual OWPP. The conference contribution first explains the current regulatory situation and highlights existing gaps in the offshore sector. Next, technical details regarding the planned infrastructure of the ENGEL project are presented, along with the introduction of the scenario-based testing concept for OWES on test benches. Overall, the contribution provides an overview of the challenges in integrating OWES and presents a rationalizable connection process.