OPHELIA: unlocking the full potential of linear photovoltaic power plants

How can we develop solar energy without impacting farmland, forests, natural areas or other biodiversity reserves? OPHELIA avoids land-use conflicts and brings power generation closer to demand sites, by leveraging existing linear infrastructure, reducing the need for costly new grid reinforcements. However, collecting photovoltaic energy over long distances, while respecting existing uses and limiting electrical losses and reducing the environmental impact represents a significant technical challenge!

To meet this technical challenge, the OPHELIA partners (CNR, Nexans, Schneider Electric, SNCF and SuperGrid Institute) have developed an innovative electrical architecture that enables the transmission of as much electricity as possible with minimal losses, by replacing alternating current (AC) with medium-voltage direct current (MVDC).

The first real-life MVDC long linear PV demonstrator in France

These innovations are being tested on an experimental photovoltaic park installed above the “ViaRhôna” cycle route in Caderousse (France,). It consists of 800 meters of solar canopies equipped with 6 structures, each 5 meters wide and 4.5m high supporting 1,620 photovoltaic modules, representing a capacity of 1 megawatt.
5 electric substations make it possible to collect, step up the voltage, transmit and deliver electricity to the distribution grid.

Innovative MVDC technologies are ready to enter field testing

The OPHELIA demonstrator makes it possible to gain real, hands-on experience of newly developed equipment.
• SuperGrid Institute designed the electrical installation and created 3 PV DC transformers to raise the photovoltaic voltage to 10 000 volts direct current.
• Nexans has designed the cable system suitable for medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) and monitoring its ageing.
• Schneider Electric has developed protection devices to safely interrupt direct current at each electrical substation.

Thanks to its scalable deployment, a cost-effective electrical system and cutting-edge MVDC technologies, OPHELIA is paving the way for developing projects on long linear land – stretching over dozens of kilometres! 

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