Traditionally, offshore platforms generate their own electricity by burning fossil fuels to run onboard gas turbines and/or diesel-powered generating units. An alternative is to supply offshore installations with electricity from the mainland using a power cable transmission system.
By replacing onboard electrical generating systems burning natural gas or diesel fuel, a power-from-shore solution can eliminate platform CO2 emissions entirely. It also increases available space and reduces weight on the platform, and improves the working environment. In addition, HVDC systems are easier to maintain than generators.
For a group of platforms, the converter station can be located on one and power can be distributed to the others via AC cables, or DC power can be distributed to several platforms in a multiterminal arrangement.
