Vattenfall has announced that, for the first time, it will provide balancing power from the 416 MW Veja Mate Offshore Wind Farm, helping to stabilise the grid during fluctuations.
'Electricity from renewable sources is not only indispensable when it comes to combating climate change and making the energy transition a success,' said Christian Sdralek.
It can also make an important contribution to the stability of the electricity system. The marketing of balancing power from offshore wind is a strong signal of this.'
The grid must be kept at a constant frequency of 50 hertz at all times; however, this becomes increasingly difficult due to weather related fluctuations. Due to this, transmission system operators rely on balancing power.
The Veja Mate Offshore Wind Farm is located off the island of Borkum in the North Sea and generates enough renewable electricity to supply 450,000 households. Using this project, Vattenfall plans to provide 200 MW, the largest amount of balancing power from offshore wind.
This is a milestone for the industry, as until now most balancing power has come from flexible pumped storage or gas fired power plants. The wind farm has now been pre-qualified for this role.
For more information about offshore wind farm projects across the globe, click here.
Source: TGS 4C
