SUPERGRID INSTITUTE

Their core work

SuperGrid Institute is a French private research company specializing in high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission, superconducting materials, and grid-scale energy storage and flexibility. They develop technologies for meshed offshore HVDC grids, fault current limiters using superconducting tapes, hydropower flexibility solutions, and long-lasting battery systems. Their work sits at the intersection of power electronics, advanced materials, and grid infrastructure — enabling the integration of large-scale renewables into European electricity networks.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

SuperGrid Institute's early H2020 work (2016-2017) centered squarely on HVDC grid hardware — offshore transmission networks, circuit breakers, protection systems, and superconducting fault current limiters. From 2019 onward, their focus broadened toward energy flexibility and storage: hydropower balancing, variable-speed turbines, battery electrochemistry, and smart-grid integration. This shift mirrors the wider European energy transition from building transmission infrastructure to managing variable renewable generation.

Moving from grid hardware toward grid intelligence — expect future work in energy storage, flexibility services, and digital grid management.

How they like to work

SuperGrid Institute participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator, suggesting they contribute deep technical expertise rather than leading project management. With 97 unique partners across 17 countries in just 4 projects, they consistently join large-scale consortia (averaging ~25 partners per project). This makes them a well-connected specialist that brings specific technical capabilities to ambitious, multi-national initiatives.

Despite only 4 projects, they have built a remarkably wide network of 97 unique partners across 17 countries, indicating participation in large European consortia. Their geographic spread covers much of Europe with no apparent single-country concentration beyond France.

What sets them apart

SuperGrid Institute occupies a rare niche as a dedicated private research company focused on high-voltage power transmission and grid technologies — most organizations in this space are either large utilities or university labs. Their combination of HVDC expertise, superconducting materials knowledge, and expanding capabilities in storage and flexibility makes them a one-stop technical partner for grid modernization projects. For consortium builders, they bring deep power systems engineering without the bureaucratic overhead of a large corporate partner.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PROMOTION
  Largest project by funding (EUR 1.8M to SuperGrid Institute), tackling the foundational challenge of meshed HVDC networks for North Sea offshore wind.
• FASTGRID
  Addresses a critical bottleneck — fault current limiting in HVDC grids — using advanced superconducting tapes, a highly specialized materials-meets-power-systems challenge.
• LOLABAT
  Signals strategic expansion into battery storage with focus on sustainable materials and recyclability, marking a clear pivot from pure transmission work.