In 2022, the offshore test site SEM-REV began a phase of investment and works to enhance its capacity to host new demonstration and research projects. Following the award of the underwater equipment supply contract launched in 2022, a consortium, led by INYANGA, recently delivered the new submarine cables and connectors.
The acquisition of these new static and dynamic submarine cables aims to increase SEM-REV's connection and injection capacities on the electrical grid so that 3 prototypes can be simultaneously connected to the site's connection hub. These cables will be equipped with connectors to minimise the cost and risks associated with demonstrator connection. After this work, the site's grid injection capacity will be upgraded to 10MW.
Inyanga Tech is the lead on this project, on which the teams have been working since 2022. Prysmian is supplying the cables and ETA the connectors, while Inyanga is managing the project, transport logistics, assembly and storage and the studies on installation and cable stability. At the beginning of 2023, the cables and connectors were delivered to the Port of Saint Nazaire. The next step will be to install the connectors on cables before the offshore installation work planned for Spring 2023.
The arrival of the cables and connectors at the installation site was a major milestone for Inyanga. A whole year and a lot of groundwork has gone into getting the cables and connectors ready for installation at sea. Our work is not finished, but it is coming together.
Three other operations are being carried out in conjunction with the acquisition of the cables and connectors:
- Their offshore installation on SEM-REV, connected to the hub
- Completion of the necessary work to increase the injection capacity of ENEDIS's Public HTA Electricity Distribution Network to 10MW.
- Upgrade of the onshore delivery station, located in Le Croisic.
With this work, SEM-REV will be able to host new research and test projects corresponding to the current challenges in the MRE sector. These tests could involve floating wind turbine demonstrators of higher power (5MW and more), such as the France Atlantique project with EOLINK, or other technologies such as hydrogen production at sea with the SEALHYFE project.
