The maritime energy sector is on the cusp of a transformative shift, particularly with the advent of floating wind technology. Baker Hughes is leading the charge with its innovative 66kV high voltage wet mate connector, a robust piece of engineering that weighs around one ton and houses over 40 liters of dielectric oil to protect a hefty copper cable. This connector isn’t just a piece of kit; it’s a critical component designed to sit on the seabed, connecting dynamic cables from floating wind turbines to collector hubs. These hubs ultimately funnel the megawatts of energy generated to subsea substations and then to the grid onshore.
Yet, with great power comes great responsibility, and the challenges are real. Cable failures are a significant concern in fixed offshore wind applications, and the floating wind industry is bracing for an uptick in such failures. Baker Hughes is not just sitting back; they’ve leveraged their oil and gas expertise to redesign their Marine Electrical Connectors (MECON) to tackle these issues head-on. By consolidating three-phase connections into a single housing, they’ve reduced potential leak paths, a crucial move when you consider that traditional setups require three separate connections, each introducing its own risk of failure.
“Look at other technologies,” says Mike Birch, Product Manager for Offshore Power Systems at Baker Hughes. “They have three individual connections inside a connection frame that just looks like a single connector. The benefit of our system is that all three individual phase connections are really in a single mechanical connector.” This innovation not only optimizes insulation fluid cleanliness but also streamlines the entire installation process.
The connectors are designed to be ROV flushable, allowing for installation without the need for divers. This is a game-changer in terms of operational efficiency and safety. The flushing process, which involves seawater, fresh water, and ethanol, ensures that the connectors are clean before the dielectric oil is injected to establish the electrical connection.
Baker Hughes has been scaling up these connectors since their inception, moving from a 12kV version used in oil and gas back in 1999 to the current 66kV designed for floating wind applications. The collaboration with energy majors has been invaluable, especially given that existing IEC standards only cover up to 36kV. The industry is in dire need of a qualification matrix that can gain broad acceptance, and Baker Hughes is stepping up to fill that gap.
The simplicity of the collector hub design is also worth noting. With no moving parts and a straightforward oil-filled enclosure, the hub collects power through multiple inputs and exports it through a single output. Birch emphasizes that this design minimizes complications and maximizes reliability. The internal disconnector technology allows for cable isolation via ROV, simplifying operations even further.
The star configuration enabled by this design has significant advantages over the traditional daisy-chain setups, particularly in terms of availability and cost. “If you look at the star configuration, it’s obviously got benefits with availability because you can isolate an individual turbine or group of turbines,” Birch explains. This independent connectivity not only enhances reliability but also allows for standardization in cable sizes, which can drastically reduce both capital and operational expenditures.
As floating wind technology gears up for a major market expansion, projected to reach around 270GW of installed capacity by 2050, Baker Hughes is poised to play a pivotal role. Birch anticipates that more than 700 floating wind turbines will need to be deployed annually for the next 25 years to meet these ambitious targets. The implications are profound: with the right infrastructure in place, floating wind can become a cornerstone of renewable energy generation, providing a sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuels.
Looking to the future, the connector technology is expected to evolve further. With 20MW turbines on the horizon, the demand for 132kV systems will likely increase, pushing the boundaries of what’s economically viable in this sector. Baker Hughes is not just adapting; they’re anticipating the needs of a rapidly changing energy landscape, ensuring that the floating wind industry can thrive in the coming decades.
