Hitachi Energy was selected by Pattern Energy to supply high voltage direct current (HVDC) and other advanced technologies for the SunZia transmission project.

It will connect the 3,500 megawatt (MW) SunZia Wind project in New Mexico to the grids in Arizona and Southern California, making it the world’s largest renewable energy grid.

Hitachi Energy’s HVDC Light® technology efficiently transfers and integrates vast amounts of wind power over 550 miles (885 kilometers) into the local power grid. This will significantly increase the sustainable energy available to homes and businesses across the region.

When completed, SunZia Wind will have a total power capacity of 3,500 MW, enough clean, renewable electricity to power nearly 3 million Americans.

The HVDC link will efficiently transmit up to 3,000 MW of this power west to Arizona. The HVDC Light® system is the largest Voltage Source Converter (VSC) installation in the United States, one of the largest systems in the world, and one of the longest HVDC connections in the United States.

Niklas Persson, Managing Director, Grid Integration, Hitachi Energy, said: work. “By combining his market-leading HVDC technology and execution expertise, we are helping the United States meet his carbon neutral goals by efficiently and reliably maximizing renewable energy resources. We will be the perfect partner to help you do that.”

Pattern Energy CEO Hunter Armistead said: “The use of HVDC technology will improve the reliability and resilience of the power grid, provide clean energy in the United States, and play an important role in deploying a sustainable energy system.”

The SunZia Transmission project is a 3,000 MW HVDC link between Corona, New Mexico and Pinal County, Arizona. Hitachi Energy has already begun design and engineering work on two of his HVDC Light® conversion stations, one at each end of the link.

Transmitting stations convert power from AC to DC for transmission over overhead lines and back to AC for integration into the receiving grid.