Substations onshore/offshore

The substation near Stilow will be built as an air-insulated switchgear. This means that normal air is used as the insulating medium between the live and de-energised parts within the installation. Such air-insulated switchgear require enough space to create sufficient distance and thus enough insulation between the technical equipment.

Accordingly, the larger part of the area on the premises of the substation in Stilow will accommodate the high-voltage equipment or the equipment that is an active part of the power line, the so-called primary technology.

Furthermore, there is a building in each substation in which the so-called secondary technology is situated. This technology functions as the brain of the primary technology. In other words, it protects and controls the grid connection system. The secondary technology acts as protection in the event of a fault and as a control system during normal operation, and is controlled from the 50Hertz Control Center.

Offshore wind farms generate high volumes of electricity, which then need to be transported to land and onward towards the consumer. On the high seas, substations (situated on platforms) are used to bundle the electricity generated in the wind farm and to transport it to shore by transforming it to a higher voltage level with as little loss of energy as possible.

Ostwind 3 is the third offshore project to connect the wind farms to the north-east of Rügen island to the grid (see also Ostwind 1 and Ostwind 2). Other than for previous 50Hertz grid connection projects, 50Hertz will not only plan, construct and operate the cable connection, but also the offshore substation.