This white paper makes the case that medium
voltage (MVDC) technology can provide many
benefits power system operation.
With the shift operation both the high-
power/high-voltage transmission end the power
system and the low-power/low-voltage end of
the power system, interest now turning toward
DC-based operation the medium voltage level.
. New energy
transmission and distribution infrastructure will
need built carry energy from where
it generated where used. But electricity grids are
already wrestling with congestion and ageing
infrastructure. The arrival semiconductor-based
voltage converters has enabled high power DC
voltage conversion, facilitating the use links
for high-efficiency, long-distance energy transfer.
Historically, electricity grids have been based
on alternating current (AC) operation, was
difficult vary the voltage direct current (DC)
electricity suit long-distance energy transfer.3
Executive summary
The world’s energy systems are undergoing a
revolution with the mass uptake carbon-neutral
energy sources and increasing use electricity-
based energy power industries and meet
consumer energy demand.
An all-electric society will have massive
impact electricity systems.
§ Direct support for distributed energy and loads:
MVDC interconnection improves efficiency,
reduces capital costs, and increases reliability
for data centres, battery energy storage, solar
photovoltaic plants and high-capacity electric
vehicle charging. Wind and solar and
other new sources energy generation also
significantly complicate the operation electricity
grids, due largely their intermittent and low-
inertia characteristics. Electricity
demand expected dramatically increase due
to major new loads such data centres and
electric vehicle charging. Similarly,
battery energy storage and new electricity sources
like solar photovoltaic cells are based DC
operation. Compounding these challenges,
many communities are reluctant approve the
construction new large-scale grid infrastructure,
even while they are installing distributed generation
and energy storage devices.
§ Active network management: MVDC segments
enable advanced power control and quality
management, offering more operational
flexibility than high voltage (HVDC), low
voltage (LVDC) grid segments. These include:
§ Greater carrying capacity: MVDC grids have
the potential carry approximately twice the
power AC-based infrastructure the same
size, making them highly attractive for building
new energy distribution corridors upgrading
existing ones.
Today, however, most electrical loads are based
on electricity, requiring conversion from AC
to the point consumption. shift has also been occurring at
the high-voltage end our electricity transmission
systems.
This has also simplified power system operations
by decoupling different grid segments. Energy loads such
as heating, mobility and materials processing are
shifting from fossil fuels electricity generated
from carbon-neutral sources such nuclear and
renewable energy. This new world can thought
of “all-electric society”, where decarbonized
and sustainable energy generation supplies the
world’s energy demand, and industrial loads,
transportation, business and consumer energy
demand are met through electrical technologies
