DC and hybrid AC/DC - WG 2021-1

A growing number of sources and electricity loads are natively producing or using direct current (DC), such as: Renewable Energy Sources (RES), including PV panels and wind turbines, e-mobility solutions, storage units and most new electric appliances from domestic to industrial sectors. At the same time, a lot of progress is reported in terms of high-power electronic components, adapted DC breakers and solid-state power transformers.

This has resulted in several worldwide LVDC and MVDC network demonstration projects documented in the DC DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS WG 2019-1 report, showing the high grid flexibilization potential of DC technologies. It is now considered important to develop key standards for new DC network applications; this working group will focus on following these ongoing international developments and provide a platform to foster market-ready DC and hybrid AC/DC grid technologies, as well as applications.

• DC components & solutions, planning issues, operational safety & experience, standardization and regulatory framework; 

•  Use Cases:

   - LV and MV distribution networks (≤100 kVDC) use-cases;

   - public networks and industrial, buildings, factories, facilities, or other specialized networks.

•  New, ongoing and demonstration projects will be followed to identify benefits, constraints, lessons learned and action lists. Legal, regulatory, standardization issues will be identified where these either speed up or 

hamper the development and the large-scale implementation of DC and hybrid AC/DC 

distribution networks.

The WG will investigate:

•  DC vs AC economic viability, technical challenges, architecture and environmental /sustainability (energy efficiency and usage of sustainable resources) analysis

•  DC and hybrid AC/DC grids issues, such as: resilience, protection, state-of-the-art and roadmap of DC components, metering, DC and hybrid AC/DC grids, interoperability & multivendor solutions

•  How can DC solutions help to promote the energy transition to decarbonisation?

•  Multiterminal DC and hybrid AC/DC grids, interoperability & multivendor solutions

•  DC and AC/DC testing and validation infrastructure/-method