Imagine the power grid as a giant highway system for electricity. Right now, we struggle to merge different types of 'roads' (AC and DC) without causing traffic jams or accidents. This work creates smarter safety switches and traffic controllers to keep the electricity flowing smoothly from offshore wind farms to cities.
Current power grids struggle to integrate massive amounts of offshore wind energy because DC and AC systems don't communicate well. This leads to congestion and risks of grid failure due to a lack of standardized protection and control hardware.
The project built DC protection relays, a full-scale DC power flow controller, specialized test equipment for relays, and cost-evaluation software.
If you are a TSO dealing with unstable power flows from offshore wind—this project developed DC protection relays and power flow controllers that prevent grid collapses and improve stability.
If you are a hardware vendor dealing with incompatible equipment from different brands—this project developed vendor-neutral design specifications and test equipment for DC relays to ensure multi-vendor integration.
If you are a planning firm dealing with uncertain investment returns for grid upgrades—this project developed software to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of protection and congestion management solutions.
Based on available project data, specific pricing is not provided, but the project includes a tool to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the solutions.
The project is moving toward industrial scale by deploying 4 different demonstrators, including a full-scale DC power flow controller.
Based on available project data, the project focuses on international standardization and vendor-neutral designs, though specific licensing terms are not listed.
It creates a hybrid AC/DC grid where HVDC systems integrate seamlessly with existing AC systems through improved congestion management and protection.
The project runs from 2024-07-01 to 2028-06-30, with deliverables spanning this period.
The consortium consists of 11 partners from 5 countries, showing a strong academic lean with 8 universities and 3 industry partners (27% industry ratio). This suggests the project is heavily focused on R&D and standardization, though the presence of industrial partners ensures the 4 demonstrators are grounded in real-world application.
Contact the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven research office regarding HVDC grid protection.
Contact us to connect with the PROSECCO consortium for pilot integration.
