The path towards HVDC grids

The widespread interest in incorporating large amounts of renewable energy into the AC transmission grid, principally from wind and solar generation, has revealed shortcomings in the existing infrastructure. In Europe the major wind resources are in the North West in locations that are remote from the major load centres. The existing grid infrastructure in these areas is relatively weak and unable to carry the power potentially produced by the wind power plants. A similar situation exists in the South of Europe and North Africa, where there is the potential for large amounts of solar power generation, but lacking transmission systems for bringing the power to the market. In the USA there is abundant wind power generation capability in the Mid-West and solar power in the South – West, but…