Success in the air for EMR with communications installation for UK offshore transmission system
~ High-speed microwave radio links deployed at Greater Gabbard offshore substations to transport critical plant information including wind turbine data ~
Dunboyne, Co Meath, Ireland, Wednesday, 25th November 2020: EMR Integrated Solutions, a leading SCADA network and wireless telecommunications provider, today announced the completion of a communications project for the Greater Gabbard offshore transmission assets located off the coast of Suffolk in the United Kingdom.
The upgrade involves the deployment of 100Mbps resilient microwave radio links, specifically designed for marine applications. The links, located at two offshore substations, will transport vital plant information including wind turbine data, ensuring uninterrupted operational information to the onshore transmission SCADA system.
Commenting on the project, Roger Morgan, general manager of Greater Gabbard OFTO, said:
“We agreed on the most efficient solution which was mindful of people’s safety, the installation methodology and the project costs. It has been a big success story for us. Everything is working well and it is a rock-solid, robust solution for our needs.”
The team at EMR recommended the use of Advanced Space Diversity technology which uses fewer antennae for microwave connectivity as Alan Feenan, sales director with EMR explains.
“Three antennae, rather than the traditional four, provide a hybrid system with two separate paths. If one path is degraded due to tidal effects, the system immediately switches to the second path without any alarm or interruption. This provides reliable traffic pass-through of data as well as quicker deployment and more cost-effective project costs when compared to fibre-based interconnector replacement.”
As always with offshore installations, the main challenge was access to the substation platforms during periods of bad weather, meaning the project had to be completed during suitable weather windows.
EMR have a proven track record for delivering robust, high-throughput, low-latency solutions for mission-critical remote sites with plant-wide SCADA applications, such as windfarms and oil and gas terminals.
ENDS
