A comprehensive review and proposed architecture for offshore power system

Abstract

Abstract This review describes the offshore power system (OffPS), a research area of electricity that—despite being deeply investigated in scattered fragments—has not been comprehensively conceptualized as an integral system of interrelated components, equipment, functions and subsystems. Part of this lack of systemic approach is due to the fact that this system normally does not subsist by itself. It depends on structural elements for protection and support. OffPS gathers all the characteristics of a system and has several configurations, subsystems, and functions. In many cases, OffPS is subjected to extreme forces imposed by offshore weather conditions. For this reason, it is duly enclosed, protected and supported by several offshore-resistant mechanical machines such as ships, submarines, offshore platforms, floating ports and power plants. The prevalence of OffPS has been geographically expanding in recent years and it is spreading over vast portions of the oceans. On a larger extent, it is evolving towards an offshore power grid, a network that connects countries and even entire continents. It is also adjusting to multi-agent power access, in what is called multi-terminal OffPS. In order to encompass such a variety of topologies and applications, a generalized architecture of OffPS is proposed. It establishes a basic framework for this review on the latest research advances in offshore power generation, transmission, distribution, consumption, energy storage, offshore intelligence and environment. Nuances between specific offshore power systems, influences of the surrounding environment, interactions between OffPS subsystems and other research areas are then described within this framework. The aim of this review is to facilitate a better systemic understanding of the major challenges and importance of offshore power system research in contemporary society.