Italy to connect its largest islands for renewable energy exchange
Italy: The islands of Sardinia, Sicily and the Italian mainland must be able to exchange electricity to benefit from renewable energy.
Image source: Siemens Energy
Italy: The islands of Sardinia, Sicily and the Italian mainland must be able to exchange electricity to benefit from renewable energy.
Siemens Energy will make this possible by providing the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission technology to a 970 km long power link. Italian transmission system operator Terna has awarded the consortium of Siemens Energy and Italy’s FATA (part of Danieli group) a contract to supply four converter stations for the “Tyrrhenian Link” project. The HVDC link will enable more efficient use of renewable energy, increase the stability of the power grids, and enable the close down of coal-fired power plants on the two islands to reduce CO2 emissions. The order volume for Siemens Energy amounts to just under one billion euros.
“The expansion of power grids must receive the same attention as the expansion of renewable energies,” says Tim Holt, member of the Managing Board of Siemens Energy. “Italy has excellent conditions for renewable power generation. The project will ensure that the regions involved can also derive the best possible economic benefits from this and help Italy achieve a more sustainable and secure power supply.”
To reach the EU’s Fit-for-55 target by 2030, Italy will need to install 70 GW of new renewable energy capacity to reach at least 65 % of total electricity consumption. Connecting Italy’s largest islands to the mainland will allow us to flexibly transport green energy wherever it is needed.
Tyrrhenian Link is Siemens Energy’s first Italian HVDC project. The energy technology company will install four converter stations at the end of each of the two route sections. The East Section of the link connects Campania on the Italian mainland with Sicily, while the West Section connects Sicily with Sardinia. The stations convert the alternating current supplied by their local networks into direct current for transmission over undersea cables. A station at the other end of the transmission line converts the electricity into alternating current so that it can be fed back into the local grid. With a DC voltage of 500 kV per connection line, a total of up to 1 GW of green power can be efficiently transported over long distances.
Siemens Energy will manufacture key components for the four stations in Europe, including converter technology, transformers and switchgear. Consortium partner FATA, in sub-consortium with Italian construction companies Impresa Manca Costruzioni Generali S.p.A. and Pizzulo Costruzioni s.r.l., will be responsible for the civil works, electromechanical installation, construction of ancillary facilities and pre-commissioning support. The completion of construction of the converter stations is scheduled for the end of 2028.
Source: Siemens Energy
#construction#HVDC transmission technology#islands#Italy#power link#Siemens Energy