HVDC technology has experienced significant technological development in the past decade which has contributed to an increase in the number of applications of HVDC technology worldwide. The development of Voltage Source Converters (VSC) over the past decade has lead to the adoption of VSC technology in such applications as the connection of remote or off shore renewable energy projects and the supply to remote and off-shore loads. Line Communtated Converters (LCC) continue to be used for higher power transfer and higher voltage power transmission applications. The d.c.transmission can be delivered through overhead lines, land based cables, submarine cables or a combination of these.
VSC technology has also been applied in the development of FACTs devices including Static Syncronous Compensators (STATCOMs), which are being increasingly used to address issues experienced in a.c. transmission and distribution networks.
The specialist nature of HVDC and FACTs projects often necessitates the need for the developers, owners and operators of these projects to have access to experienced resources who have a solid understanding of all aspects of HVDC transmission and FACTs. Amplitude can provide a team with experience in HVDC and FACTs technologies and associated land and submarine d.c.cables who have an impressive CV of HVDC and FACTs projects covering the stages of project feasibility development, project implementation and operation and maintenance.
Project Feasibility and Development
The conceptual stages of a HVDC or FACTs projects often require the identification and evaluation of technology options, including the choice of technology and topology, required capacity, points of connection, d.c. transmission medium/route etc. The Amplitude team can help you evaluate these options, arrive at a conceptual design for the system and develop high level cost estimates (both capex and opex) for the project. Amplitude can perform the feasibility study and develop these early studies into a technical specification for the project. A technical specification developed by the Amplitude team will leverage our team members experiences with the design, construction, installation, commissioning and O&M of HVDC and FACTs projects and will capture the key requirements that are important to the asset owner and/or operator during all of these project phases.
Project Implementation
The Amplitude team can provide support to the developer or owner of a HVDC or FACTs project from project inception through to the completion of commissioning. Detailed design will often be done by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The Amplitude team can represent the interests of the developer or owner through the design process, including discussions with the OEM on key design points and reviewing design documentation to ensure compliance with the technical specification, the contract and any referenced requirements. This support can carry over into the witnessing of key factory tests of both main circuit and control and protection equipment and the provision of technical resources during construction and installation to assist the developer or owner in addressing any technical issues that arise. Finally, Amplitude can field a team of experienced commissioning staff, to take on site supervision, witnessing and commissioning management roles throughout the equipment, subsystems, systems and customer acceptance testing and the trial operation of the project and to assist with the analysis of the commissioning test results.
Operations and Maintenance
Amplitude can help transition the new HVDC or FACTs technology into your organisation?s operation and maintenance processes, through the development of operation integration roadmaps and the required operations and maintenance processes and procedures. Amplitude can deliver workshops with your staff to identify the best fit for the new technology into your organisation, and can develop an operational philosophy and strategy that will meet your needs. As the date for the handover to operations draws near, Amplitude can work with our client?s staff and the HVDC or FACTs technology provider to develop operation and maintenance processes and procedures that suit the needs of our clients, including the development of maintenance schedules, high voltage access procedures, troubleshooting and fault location procedures and repair plans for major items of equipment and d.c. cables. Once in operation, the Amplitude team can continue to support the new HVDC or FACTs facility by the provision of high level consulting services, technical analysis and investigation, technical assistance with upgrades and enhancements and failure analysis.
