Turbine-Based Energy Generation System With DC Output

A method of generating electrical energy, the method comprising:

• extracting energy from a fluid flow;
• converting the extracted energy into mechanical energy;
• converting the mechanical energy into AC electrical energy;
• transferring the AC electrical energy from a lower voltage to a higher voltage using a step-up transformer;
• and
• converting the AC electrical energy at the higher voltage to DC electrical energy using a converter comprising a converter leg for a phase of the AC electrical energy, the converter leg having an upper arm with a first plurality of sub-modules and a lower arm with a second plurality of sub-modules, each sub-module operable to function as a controlled voltage source.

An energy generation system, comprising:

• a plurality of turbines each operable to extract energy from a fluid flow and convert the extracted energy into mechanical energy;
• a plurality of electric generators each operable to convert the mechanical energy from one of the turbines into AC electrical energy;
• a plurality of step-up transformers each operable to transfer the AC electrical energy at a lower voltage from one of the electric generators to a higher voltage;
• and
• a plurality of converters each operable to convert the AC electrical energy at the higher voltage from one of the step-up transformers to DC electrical energy, each converter comprising a converter leg for each phase of the AC electrical energy coupled to that converter, each converter leg having an upper arm with a first plurality of sub-modules and a lower arm with a second plurality of sub-modules, each sub-module operable to function as a controlled voltage source.