High-voltage upgrades for the GCC grid

UAE

Mostafa AlGuezeri, managing director of the Gulf and Maghreb at Hitachi Energy, talks to The Energy Year about supplying clean electricity to support ADNOC’s offshore production and utilising advanced technology to minimise the loss rate of transmission infrastructure. Hitachi Energy is a technology company specialising in high-voltage equipment, energy storage systems and renewable energy services that accelerate the energy transition to a carbon-neutral future.

Hitachi Energy recently signed an MoU with the GCC Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) to connect various grids in the region. What are the latest updates on that venture?
We are very active in the GCC and contributing to the interconnection project. The latest interconnection project carried out was the Al Fadhili converter station. We have other ongoing projects, including the Egypt-Saudi Arabia interconnection, which is a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnection that runs both ways, and the Jordan-Iraq and Kuwait-Iraq interconnections. There are several others on the way to enable the exchange of power between Gulf countries.

How is Hitachi Energy supporting energy transition initiatives in the region?
Nowadays, global warming, decarbonisation and the energy transition are subjects of high concern everywhere. To incorporate new energy sources into the grid, operators must first take care of two things. First, they need the transmission capacity to transport bulk power from one place to another with minimal losses. Second, operators must ensure a grid that is flexible, secure and available at all times.
This requires grid connection solutions, power automation, protection and distribution solutions and energy management and forecasting solutions. Hitachi Energy enables this with its comprehensive portfolio of solutions, and the company also collaborates with stakeholders, end users, developers and suppliers as part of a broader ecosystem.

What is driving investment in transmission infrastructure in the UAE?
Investments in transmission infrastructure are being driven by rising energy consumption, with data centres being one of the key sources of demand and real estate expansion in Dubai and Abu Dhabi being another. The oil and gas sector needs an ample supply of power, as well.
Also, since we are looking to decarbonise and strengthen the grid, additional power is needed, which requires transmission. And because new types of power generation sources are being connected to the grid, you need digital solutions to stabilise and secure the grid regularly.

What type of advanced technology is Hitachi Energy offering for interconnection?
At Hitachi Energy, we have already introduced all our latest state-of-the-art HVDC technology to upgrade the Al Fadhili converter station. The station serves the special purpose of maintaining the stability of the connected grids. This upgrade project replaces hardware and software with Hitachi Energy’s cutting-edge MACH control and protection system, the brain behind HVDC links.
In addition to this upgrade and the other ongoing projects, Hitachi Energy and GCCIA are strengthening their collaboration to build a resilient interconnection grid by ensuring power security and economic benefits. This will accelerate GCCIA’s journey to become a global hub in grid interconnections and create a dynamic electricity market for the region and beyond.
Initial areas of focus for the collaboration include developing standardised base designs to be applied for direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) transmission systems to interconnect countries. This includes grid connections and power quality solutions, in particular STATCOMs [static synchronous compensators], which provide significant benefits throughout the planning, construction, operation and maintenance life cycle of assets.

How is Hitachi Energy involved in the UAE’s oil and gas sector?
Hitachi Energy is involved in the electrification of oil and gas processes. For instance, we are involved in Project Lightning, an exciting and significant project for ADNOC. In this project, we convert AC from the onshore grid to DC at our onshore converter stations and carry it by undersea cable to another converter on the island, from where it can be fed to the production facilities once it is converted back to AC.
We are participating in offshore to onshore connectivity projects for ADNOC and the TAQA projects aimed at strengthening the transmission network to cater to the super cycle demand in Abu Dhabi, and we also have a collaboration with DEWA to support various developmental activities in the country.
In the past, transporting power from one place to another resulted in power losses. However, the HVDC Light system, our niche product from Sweden, helps to expand transmission capacity, minimising environmental impact and improving the quality of the power supply.

How important is the UAE market for Hitachi Energy strategically?
We have been in the UAE since the 1970s. We have participated in the early development of the country’s network and continue to participate today. The UAE is a strategically important market for us. We have offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and the hub of each of our regional businesses is in the UAE.

What differentiates Hitachi Energy from its competitors?
Hitachi Energy is a market leader across technologies such as power automation, HVDC and transformers, and we continue to innovate and bring new solutions such as the EconiQ SF6-free switchgear. We also differentiate ourselves by working closely with our customers and positioning ourselves as a trusted partner.
While innovation and technology are important, the true differentiator is people. They are our true assets and are the most important factor for the success of an organisation.

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