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Technical scope

Theme 1 – Future net zero Power Systems

  • Outlook - quantifying challenge and key blockers and enablers
  • Planning and operating net-zero power systems
  • Bridging political ambitions and engineering complexity of the energy transition
  • Techno-economic analysis and optimisation of DC systems
  • Identifying staged implementation strategies and the anticipatory specification requiring techno-economic analysis justification
  • Modelling of power electronic systems for large area AC network stability studies
  • Impact on the grid of moving to 100% power electronic fed renewable generation
  • Control of converters in power networks with declined system inertia and low fault level networks
  • Real Time Digital Simulation modelling including power hardware in the loop (PHiL).

Theme 2 – DC grids: control strategies and technologies

  • Planning, design, specification, and operation of multi-vendor environments
  • AC system integration considerations from DC grids
  • DC hubs and DC networks, optimal topologies control and protection strategies
  • High power DC/DC converters (isolated and non-isolated)
  • DC grid control and protection
  • DC circuit breakers (hybrid and mechanical)
  • New forms of DC application such as DC hubs or energy islands
  • Strategies for AC and DC fault ride-through and fault restoration in DC grids
  • Multi-terminal HVDC converter control and protection (both VSC and LCC)
  • Generic DC grids with VSCs and LCCs
  • Testing demonstration and verification of the above.

Theme 3 – Innovations

  • Technology opportunities for delivery of large offshore systems
  • Stability and reliability options available from enhanced control, monitoring and specification
  • Definitions of Grid forming as relates to DC Grids and DC systems.
  • Onshore AC grid support; including grid-forming converter operation and ancillary services including black-start
  • Operation and control of offshore power systems
  • Advances in modelling as relevant to the analysis of DC systems and large power converters (real-time and non-real-time)
  • Systems stability - Incorporation and balancing of flexibility, stability and agility in the grid
  • Frequency domain techniques to manage HVDC interactions
  • Bulk power transmission cables including superconductive cable systems.

Theme 4 – Power electronics converters for HVDC/FACTS

  • Power semiconductor devices for HVDC/FACTS systems
  • HVDC power converter modulation and control strategies
  • Half and full bridge modular multilevel converters
  • Hybrid converters and modular converters with smart submodules
  • Other converter topologies
  • Strategies for internal fault management in modular and hybrid converters
  • DC technology at medium and low voltage
  • Innovations and Integration of energy storage through a power electronics interface
  • Grid-forming and Grid-following converters.

Theme 5 –Next steps towards implementation of net zero energy systems

  • New HVDC and/or FACTS projects planned or under development providing examples of new functions/ capabilities
  • Operating experiences (lessons learned) from existing HVDC and FACTS installations
  • Practical experiences in procurement, contracting, project management and supply chain management
  • Standardisation and interoperability
  • Asset Management – maintenance, retrofit and refurbishment of equipment and systems
  • R&D prioritisation
  • Policy enablement across areas of Front End Engineering Design, procurement, consenting and environmental assessments, and associated evaluations and optimisations.