Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in industry and the academic community.
PO064: Cost effective MW-scale testing of grid-supporting technologies
Adrian Chapple, Head of Engineering, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE Catapult)
Abstract
The large-scale integration of offshore wind requires advanced grid technologies capable of supporting stability, power quality, and resilience. Smart Hybrid Transformers (SHTs) offer a potential solution by combining traditional voltage transformation with embedded power electronics to deliver voltage regulation, harmonic suppression, and power factor correction in a single device. Previous independent testing of a 500 kVA prototype at ORE Catapult demonstrated strong performance: secondary voltages held close to nominal under HV step changes, harmonics suppressed by >80% and power factor improved to unity under both inductive and capacitive conditions. These results validated the concept at kVA scale. The next stage of testing will extend validation to 3 MW power levels at ORE Catapult’s eGrid facility, representing one of the largest independent evaluations of SHT technology to date. A novel hybrid load methodology has been developed, combining a 1.2MW EGSTON power amplifier with 3 MW of resistive load banks. This configuration maintains the controllability of active load for dynamic testing while achieving significant capital cost reductions compared to fully active systems (savings of up to £4 million at this scale). The campaign also address the challenge of operating across multiple voltage levels and demonstrate how the methodology can be scaled to future even higher-power tests of transformers, converters, and hybrid assets. The approach provides a replicable pathway for industry to validate new grid technologies under realistic MW-scale conditions without prohibitive infrastructure costs.
No recording available for this poster.
