Ostwind 4 HVDC offshore converter platform

Ostwind 4 is a project by 50Hertz Transmission GmbH and involves the development of a 2 GW / 525 kV offshore HVDC converter platform in the Baltic Sea. It will collect and convert wind energy generated far offshore and transmit it via a 110-kilometre subsea cable to the German mainland. This is the first HVDC converter platform of this configuration in the Baltic Sea and a key step in Germany’s renewable energy infrastructure.

50Hertz awarded the full EPCI contract to the consortium consisting of GE Vernova and Drydocks World. Iv has been selected by Drydocks World to engineer and design the topside of the Ostwind 4 offshore HVDC converter platform. This marks the fourth offshore platform Iv is designing for 50Hertz.

The project offers a unique opportunity to develop innovative engineering solutions. Access to the area is limited due to infrastructure such as the Øresund Bridge and the Storebælt Tunnel. Together with strict environmental constraints, this calls for careful planning and close coordination across disciplines and project interfaces.

Iv has been selected by Drydocks World to engineer and design the topside of the offshore HVDC converter platform, including all auxiliary systems. With engineering solutions tailored to logistical aspects and environmental constraints, the project enables efficient long-distance power transmission. The generated energy will be integrated into 50Hertz’s extra-high-voltage grid, contributing both to the expansion of Germany’s electricity grid and to meeting Europe’s growing energy demand.