Transmission system and offshore wind farms: challenges and chances

Offshore wind energy is gaining significant ground in electric transmission systems, due to high size of installations, higher and stable energy yields, and to policy objectives. The diffusion of offshore wind farms, in view of increasing renewable share, poses specific issues for their proper integration in the electric network, accounting for a wide range of technical and economic aspects. The aim of this paper is to provide a broad perspective of transmission system operator on the influence of offshore wind farms, along with current situation and envision in Italian framework.