SuperGrid Institute’s collaborative projects

H2020 European R&I project
2021-2024

This project aims to create a DC network that connects multiple offshore wind farms within one DC hub, without the need for intermediate DC/AC and AC/DC conversion. The aim is to reduce the number of AC substations in coastal regions and to simplify the redistribution of generated power to other areas.

The Network DC project will work closely with regulators and potential direct current circuit breaker (DCCB) manufacturers to validate the technical requirements of DCCBs within future DC networks, and to establish an appropriate regulatory framework for this equipement. This will allow DCCBs to be integrated into any future network design in the UK.

SuperGrid Institute’s contribution to this consortium involves proposing a protection system design and conducting techno-economic evaluation of the onshore DC hub switching station.

UK – Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund R&I project
2022-2022

The HVDC-WISE project will foster the development of large HVDC-based transmission grid infrastructures to improve the resilience and reliability of existing transmission systems, facilitating the integration of large amounts of renewable energy.

SuperGrid Institute is not only the project coordinator. We also lead a work package to identify, assess and model emerging technologies for HVDC-based grid architectures, as well as activities around control and protection concepts for AC/DC architectures. These tasks will be carried out not only through offline simulations, but also through real-time and hardware-in-the-loop experiments using SuperGrid Institute’s test platform. We are also involved in several other tasks, notably the development of tools for techno-economic analyses and the design of the HVDC systems to be considered in the realistic test cases.

Horizon Europe R&I project
2022-2026

The NEWGEN project aims to develop new insulation materials, cable manufacturing solutions, online condition monitoring technologies and comprehensive life and reliability modelling tools for the next-generation of extruded HVDC cables and cable systems, thereby improving the reliability and resilience of inter-connected European HVAC/-DC transmission grids.

SuperGrid Institute is involved in each of the project’s four technical work packages. Our main role is to carry out short-term dielectric characterisation of flat material specimens and prototype HVDC cable peelings, to characterise the dielectric properties of type A model cables and to develop an online leakage current measurement sensor for HVDC cables for the detection of pre-fault conditions.

Horizon Europe R&I project
2022-2026

By 2030, Danish CO₂ emissions must be reduced to 70% of their 1990 level, with half of the reduction to be achieved within the current decade. By 2050, the target is climate neutrality. These ambitious targets will be achieved through the implementation of a range of measures such as the electrification of industry and the use of green fuels by Power-to-X (PtX), etc.

SuperGrid Institute’s contribution to this all-Danish consortium will be to offer a high level of expertise and knowledge of the energy-hub concept, which is crucial to facing the challenges of energy transition. The Institute will offer guidance on selecting optimum power system architectures to provide the right balance between needs, costs, performance, modularity and security. SuperGrid Institute’s contribution is part of the work package ‘Stable and resilient hub design’.

Denmark – EUDP R&I project
2022-2026

The SCARLET project (Superconducting cables for sustainable energy transition) unites 15 partners from 7 countries around the goal of designing and industrially manufacturing superconducting cables to enable more efficient and less costly power transmission from renewable electricity generation sites.

Within the SCARLET project, SuperGrid Institute contributes to several work packages, leading the work on electrical system architecture and protection, and delivering the Resistive Superconducting Fault Current Limiter module demonstrator. This involves demonstrating the module in limitation mode in subcooled liquid nitrogen inside the high voltage cryostat and using our high-power test platform to provide targeted DC fault current under the rated module voltage.

Horizon Europe R&I project
2022-2027

BILASURF brings together 10 European partners to reduce the environmental impact of surface functionalisation, by developing and integrating a process whereby complex 3D surfaces can be created using a high-rate laser.

This solution, which involves functionalising surfaces with a texture that mimics those found in nature, will reduce friction and improve the environmental footprint of industrial parts in hydraulic machines and industrial fans.

Our experts will assess the riblets’ influence on the hydraulic behaviour of a hydro turbine. We are also delighted to be leading a task on translating our demonstrator results into recommendations for full-scale turbines, to contribute to existing industry standards.

Horizon Europe R&I project
2023-2026

The aim of this project is to develop and demonstrate a commercial low-to-medium voltage bidirectional DC/DC converter prototype which can be introduced to the market within less than three years. To achieve this ambitious target, the project team focuses on the development of ultra-high voltage (UHV) SiC-based switching devices. This will make it possible to significantly simplify the converter topology and create a very compact design when coupled with high-frequency operation. The project involves the design, fabrication and testing of 15 kV SiC IGBT modules, as well as series connected SiC MOSFETs.

SuperGrid Institute participates in seven of the project’s eight work packages and leads two of them: Use Case and Requirements definition, and DC/DC Converter Demonstrator.

Horizon Europe R&I project
2023-2026

The Direct Current for European Union, or DCforEU, project is a support mechanism for the European Commission’s Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan focusing on industry’s use and development of Direct Current (DC) technologies (high, medium and low voltages).

Horizon Europe R&I project
2023-2026

The project “Enabling interoperability of multi-vendor HVDC grids”, funded by the EU programme for research and innovation, unites more than 20 European partners to define future interoperability standards for electricity grids.

InterOPERA’s main objective is to make future HVDC systems mutually compatible and interoperable by design, and to improve the grid forming capabilities of offshore and onshore converters. InterOPERA is not only about developing technical standards but also about agreeing on the procurement, commercial, legal and regulatory frameworks that will facilitate the tendering, building and operation of full-scale HVDC multi-terminal, multi-vendor, multi-purpose real-life applications anticipated by 2030.

SuperGrid Institute is the coordinator of the project and is involve in several work packages.

Horizon Europe R&I project
2023-2027

The FLAGCHIP Project, which brings together small, medium and large companies as well as academics from eight different countries, will develop new ageing monitoring techniques through the knowledge of junction temperature of Wide Band Gap components. Developing innovative structure and improved current packaging technology for the next generation of components will be also a significant part of the study. In addition, Ultra-wide Band Gap devices will be considered.

SuperGrid Institute is present in almost every work package and is leader of Work Package 5 focusing on demonstration, testing and validation in FLAGCHIP pilots. This consists of an AC Power cycling bench, used to age devices to different levels and validate the operation of CHM board and CHM sensing. The objective is to get a better comprehension of ageing and failure mechanisms. The second pilot will be based on a bidirectional DC/DC converter (1.5 kV / 10 kV,  250 kW). This will validate the modules with CHM board and demonstrate successful operation in application environments.

Horizon Europe R&I project
2024-2027

The HYNET projects aims to tackle the challenges of integrating renewable energy sources and power electronics into traditional AC systems. Key to this will be the introduction of new control algorithms, protection mechanisms, and grid-forming capabilities—all designed to improve grid management, enhance network security, support islanding operations, and facilitate investment planning.

SuperGrid Institute is contributing to two main themes in the project: the design and planning of HVDC grids, and MVDC grids. The SuperGrid Institute team will also contribute to a comprehensive plan and design blueprint for MVDC networks. It will incorporate a detailed analysis assessing MVDC feasibility from both technical and economic perspectives and will also provide an overview of the project’s key technology enablers driving MVDC advancements.

Horizon Europe R&I project
2024-2027

The project’s objectives include defining the concept and features of grid forming loads, selecting appropriate loads, developing control algorithms, implementing them in relevant applications (electrical vehicle chargers, pump drives), and carrying out systems, techno-economic and environmental studies on the impact of this solution.

SuperGrid Institute will notably lead WP3 which involves developing one of the two demonstrators for the project. The demonstrator will aim to apply the control concepts for grid forming loads to a specific load: a variable-speed pump. The SuperGrid Institute team will set up their real-time power hardware-in-the-loop hydraulic test-rig HydroPHIL with a reduced-scale variable-speed pump drive operating in grid-forming mode to validate the concept. In collaboration with the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, the team will derive specific control schemes and tuning to allow the pump test-rig to operate in grid-forming mode. Advanced models of the hydraulic test-rig and of the power converters will be developed beforehand.

Horizon Europe R&I project
2025-2029