CHS Controls’s role in the major offshore wind initiative in the North Sea

That the majority of our products operate behind the scenes throughout society is nothing new. What makes it extra rewarding, however, is when we get to be part – however small – of something as significant as Europe’s energy transition to renewable power.

In 2023, Hitachi Energy and Petrofac secured a landmark agreement regarding offshore wind in the German and Dutch sectors of the North Sea. The agreement covers the delivery of multiple offshore and onshore converter stations that transform high-voltage direct current into alternating current (the type used in everyday outlets at home), along with the associated infrastructure to accelerate the integration of renewable energy into Europe’s power grids.

In total, six systems will be commissioned, each with a capacity of 2 gigawatts and a voltage level of 525 kilovolts. A record-breaking world first for offshore wind.

Altogether, this will provide 12 gigawatts of green energy – enough to power 12 million homes.

And it is in the very process of transporting this green energy from offshore to onshore that our components come into play. CHS Controls supplies customized CX rated pipes and fittings to secure the transmission of electricity from sea to land.

CX represents the highest corrosion class, used in industrial contexts with extreme condensation and highly aggressive environments – exactly the type of conditions an offshore project presents.

The project is ongoing and will continue in the coming years, as part of The 2GW Program – more wind energy for Europe.