Offshore Electricity Infrastructure in Europe - European Wind Energy ...

Methodology – Simulation inputs and Models
The OffshoreGrid results are based on detailed generation
modelling, market and grid power flow modelling
and infrastructure cost modelling. Each of the modelling
tasks is already a significant challenge in its own
right and there is no integrated model that could solve
the envisaged optimisation goal to determine an optimal
offshore grid. The consortium therefore set up a
stepwise methodology in which different models are
combined in an iterative approach. All in all, four major
models were developed and applied: the wind series
power model, the power market and power flow model,
the infrastructure cost model and the case-independent
model.
The wind series power model created wind power time
series that fed into the power market and power flow
model. This model was then combined with the infrastructure
cost model in order to obtain results on case
studies, to determine which offshore configuration
was the most suitable. Output from these two models
was also used in the case-independent model, which
creates general overall conclusions that can be applied
to most offshore scenarios. This design loop is
illustrated in Figure 3.1.
The following sections briefly describe the key features
of each model. Annex C explains them in more detail.
3.1 Wind power series model
On- and offshore wind power have a predominant impact
on the optimal grid design of an offshore grid.
It was therefore decided to apply a specialised wind
power model (meso-scale numerical weather prediction
model) to generate high-resolution wind power
time series for every offshore wind farm and every
onshore wind region identified in the developed scenarios
[25]. This was performed by first modelling the
wind in the desired region, which was done through
FIGURE 3.1: SchEMATIc EXPlANATION OF ThE INTERAcTION bETWEEN ThE MOdElS IN OFFShOREGRId
Infrastructure
cost model
data collection and scenario development
Power market and
power flow model
• Cost benefit results for different offshore grid building blocks
• Fundamental design guidelines
• Cost efficient overall grid design
Wind series
power model
case-independent
model
28 OffshoreGrid – Final Report