Meed | GE Vernova and Drydocks win 2GW transmission contract

GE Vernova and Drydocks win 2GW transmission contract

17 December 2024

US-headquartered GE Vernova in consortium with Dubai-based Drydocks World has won the Ostwind 4 contract project by 50Hertz, a German transmission system operator (TSO).

The project involves the design, construction and commissioning of a 2GW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) electric transmission system connecting an offshore wind farm to the German grid.

The project is described as the first of its kind in the German Baltic Sea.

Located in the Arkona Basin, approximately 30 kilometers northeast of Rugen Island, the Ostwind 4 project will transport up to 2GW of offshore wind energy via the HVDC system to the mainland, delivering renewable electricity equivalent to the amount needed to power nearly two million households, GE Vernova said in a statement.

Provisionally scheduled for completion by the end of 2031, the project is expected to feature an advanced bipolar HVDC transmission system operating at 525 kilovolts (kV), ensuring efficient energy transport with minimal losses over long distances.

The GE Vernova–Drydocks World consortium is responsible for delivering both the offshore converter platform and the onshore converter station, enabling the transmission of electricity from offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea to the German transmission grid.

As the consortium leader, GE Vernova will supply advanced HVDC technology, including voltage-sourced converters (VSC), high-voltage transformers, g3 gas-insulated switchgear (GIS), air-core reactors, as well as civil works for the onshore converter station and grid automation telecommunications equipment.

Drydocks World will be responsible for designing, fabricating and installing the offshore converter platform, including the jacket substructure and topside.

This advanced infrastructure, built at Drydocks World’s Dubai facility, features a U-shaped jacket substructure with integrated nature-inclusive scour protection to enhance marine biodiversity while minimizing environmental impact.

Photo credit: GE

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Jennifer Aguinaldo