Aguçadoura Demo/Test Site is a grid-connected offshore renewable energy test site off Aguçadoura/Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal, served by a single medium-voltage HVAC subsea export cable to an on-land substation. Sources describe a ~6.0–6.2 km subsea export cable linking the on-land substation at Aguçadoura to the test area ~5.5 km offshore, in ~40–60 m water depth. Reported export capacity/connection capability ranges from 3 MW (and 3.85 MVA) up to 4 MW, with export cable/switchgear described at 6.6 kV (also stated as 7.2 kV in one source) and an onshore step-up transformer to a 15 kV grid-connection voltage.
- Capacity
- 3–4 MW
- Offshore platforms
- 0— No offshore substation/platform is described for the test-site grid connection; devices connect via subsea infrastructure (one source notes a 3-input subsea hub as part of an infrastructure update).
- Onshore substations
- 1— On-land substation/land station at Aguçadoura providing power and data connection to the national grid; described as including 6.6 kV switchgear connected to the subsea cable and a step-up transformer from 6.6 kV to a 15 kV grid-connection voltage.
- Export cables
- 1— Single three-phase medium-voltage subsea export cable from an on-land substation at Aguçadoura to the offshore test site. Cable route is described as 6 km (historical connection) and 6.2 km for the HiWave-5 energisation cable; cable pull-in uses a pre-installed conduit installed by horizontal directional drilling (HDD) under beach dunes to the on-land substation; additional cable protection/additional mass was added where required for on-bottom stability.
- Offshore route
- 6–6.2 km
00- Water depth
- 40–60 m
Landfall options
Aguçadoura (beach dunes / on-land substation area)
Landfall at Aguçadoura; cable pulled ashore through a pre-installed conduit installed by horizontal directional drilling beneath the beach dunes into the on-land substation (avoiding open trenching).
Grid connection options
Portuguese national grid via onshore substation at 15 kV (step-up from 6.6 kV)
Grid connection described via an onshore step-up transformer from 6.6 kV (subsea cable/switchgear voltage) to 15 kV grid-connection voltage at the on-land substation, exporting to Portugal’s national grid.
