The technology group Wärtsilä signed in January a contract with Babcock International Group plc to design and build a number of switchboards and distribution boards for the world’s first offshore reactive compensation station, a vital part of transmitting to shore the electricity produced sustainably by the offshore wind farm.

The Hornsea Project One offshore wind farm is currently under construction at Babcock Rosyth in Scotland. Upon completion, the wind farm, operated by DONG Energy, will be the largest offshore wind farm in the world. Wärtsilä will supply the Wärtsilä Low voltage switchboards for the world’s first offshore reactive compensation station.

Wärtsilä UK Ltd specialises in the design and build of switchboards and control systems for the power generation and renewable energy markets. The company’s switchboards are designed to withstand harsh offshore conditions, enhancing the reliability of the installation.

The reactive compensation station enables the high voltage AC system to work with cable lengths longer than those previously used for offshore wind, and will be located between the offshore wind farm and shore.

Hornsea Project One is located 120 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast in Northern England and will span an area of approximately 407 square kilometres. Work to construct the reactive compensation station is ongoing and is set to be completed by engineering support services company Babcock in 2018. It is expected to be operational in 2020.

“Babcock is delighted to be working with Wärtsilä on this project. It is an important member of our supply chain, and its switchboards and distribution boards will play an important role in the successful delivery of the world’s first offshore reactive compensation station being built at Babcock Rosyth for the wind farm,” says Ian Donnelly, Managing Director of Babcock’s Rosyth site.

Hornsea Project One, when operational, will have a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts, making it the world’s largest offshore wind farm. It will produce enough clean green electricity to power the equivalent of well over 1 million UK homes.

“Our Electrical & Automation business has long held a reputation for designing and building high quality switchboards. We are particularly well-known in the marine and oil and gas sectors globally, and have been actively expanding our customer base. The award of this contract together with other recent successes in the hydro-electric industry demonstrates our ability to support the renewable energy sector,” says Andy Dickinson, Managing Director of Wärtsilä UK Ltd.

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