ABB selected to provide transformers for 25 MW floating wind project in Portugal

ABB has announced that it has been selected to deliver its WindSTAR transformers specifically designed for floating wind turbines, to MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Vestas Wind Systems A/S and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).

The transformers will be installed in each of the three turbines on WindFloat Atlantic, a floating, offshore wind farm, comprising the world’s largest and most powerful wind turbines ever installed on a floating foundation. The 8.4 MW wind turbines are 190 meters tall to blade tip, more than double the height of the Statue of Liberty. Just three of these turbines will provide enough electricity for over 18,000 households in Portugal.

The WindFloat Atlantic wind farm will be positioned 20 kilometers off the coast of Viana de Castelo, Portugal, in a location where the sea is 100 meters deep. Traditional offshore wind turbines are secured onto the seabed and can only be used in depths of approximately 40 - 50 meters. This floating solution opens up large regions of previously unusable ocean to renewable offshore wind power generation.

The wind farm will come into operation in 2019.

ABB will supply its WindSTAR power transformers that are specifically engineered to be extra resilient against strong vibrations and extreme and sudden movements encountered on floating wind farms. The compact transformers are all designed to fit into the tower of offshore turbines. Their 66 kV voltage level is the highest wind turbine rating in the industry, allowing for significant reduction in transfer losses and enabling higher efficiency.