ELLIS Cable cleats are helping to ensure safety and efficiency in an offshore wind farm

Ellis Patents’ Emperor cable cleats and Flexi-Straps are being installed in the first offshore wind farm in the USA to use a high-voltage direct current system (HVDC) to deliver power onshore.

The Sunrise Wind Offshore Wind Farm is a significant step towards New York's clean energy goals. When completed, it will power nearly 600,000 households with renewable electricity by 2025.

Behind this groundbreaking project lies a truly global collaboration of world leaders in renewable energy. Aker Solutions working with Siemens Energy, have managed this project, which has been manufactured in modules based in Romania and Norway before being delivered to the US and providing onshore civil work in partnership with local companies. Suppliers with global supply capabilities were critical to the requirements and time schedules.

The experts at Ellis Patents worked closely with the UK-based Aker Solutions Design Team to ensure the highest safety standards and optimal cable management on the offshore platform. The platform is characterised by a steel jacket substructure and a topside deck housing essential electrical equipment. It is the heart of the wind farm's operations.

Ellis Patents provided a solution tailored to the unique requirements of the Sunrise Wind project. The Ellis Emperor cleats and Flexi-Straps, supplied through their Norwegian distributor, Procab A/S, played a pivotal role in securing and supporting the cables in the challenging offshore environment.

Kelly Brown, Ellis Patents’ sales director, said: “Sunrise Wind is a major project for the advancement of the wind sector in the US and having our cable cleats installed gives us a huge feeling of pride to be involved in something on such a global scale. This clearly demonstrates the trust in Ellis’ expertise in cable management to enhance safety and efficiency in the offshore platform.”

The offshore converter station, designed to collect the 66 kV alternating current (AC) power generated by the wind turbines, relies on a robust subsea export cable that spans an impressive 100 miles to connect to the onshore converter station located at Holbrook on Long Island. The onshore converter station plays a vital role in converting the power back to AC before feeding it into the distribution grid, ensuring the clean energy reaches homes, industries, and other end-users across New York.

Kelly added: “It’s nice to think that our products were selected for this project because of our proven track record in the offshore wind industry. We have supplied some of the world's largest and most complex offshore wind farms to date, giving us an unrivalled reputation for reliability and safety.”

For further information on Ellis Patents, visit www.ellispatents.co.uk or call 01944 758395.