On May 27, the Yangjiang Qingzhou V and VII Offshore Wind Farm Submarine Cable Centralized Transmission Project, EPC-contracted by GEDI, reached another major milestone: the world's largest offshore converter station departed from Nantong, Jiangsu, for Yangjiang, Guangdong.

The converter station is the world's first ±500 kV/2000 MW flexible DC offshore converter station and the world's largest of its kind. Measuring 85.5 meters long, 82.5 meters wide, and 44 meters high, it covers an area equivalent to a standard football pitch, stands as tall as a 15-story building, and weighs 25,000 tons. As the "heart" of the offshore wind farms, the converter station is responsible for collecting the AC power generated by offshore wind turbine generator systems, boosting the voltage, and converting it into high-voltage DC power. Utilizing flexible DC technology, it then stably transmits clean energy to load centers with lower losses and higher efficiency.

It is also a core innovative product for the large-scale development in deep and far seas. Through technological innovation, GEDI pioneer China's first integrated transmission system solution, which collects power from the two wind farms directly at the offshore converter station for stepping up and conversion. This replaces the need for offshore step-up substations and significantly reduces construction costs. In addition, GEDI carry out comprehensive refined design and whole-process weight optimization and control, achieving significant results in the weight reduction of the converter station.

As planned, the converter station is being transported via a super semi-submersible vessel to the Qingzhou offshore wind farm in Yangjiang, Guangdong, 1,090 nautical miles away. It will utilize the internationally advanced "float-over installation" technique for precise mating with the jacket foundation pre-installed on the seabed. Facing the transportation and installation challenges posed by its extra-large dimensions and super-heavy weight, GEDI and relevant units form a task force to achieve multiple technological breakthroughs in areas such as loading and transportation, float-over installation, dynamic positioning, and precise mating. This has significantly improved construction efficiency and project quality, ensuring the safe transportation and precise installation of 10,000-ton-class steel structures in the complex environments of deep and far seas.