Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• • A land-sea integrated DC collection scheme for gigawatt-scale offshore wind bases enables efficient transmission and fault ride-through, addressing the lack of conventional AC support and reducing economic costs compared to point-to-point DC. • • A thyristor-based DC transformer for desert renewable bases reduces converter and line investment costs while solving reactive power compensation and voltage control issues inherent in AC collection. • • A heterogeneous UHVDC system with only 37.5% full-bridge submodules achieves no-blocking DC fault ride-through, significantly reducing device count and cost while maintaining reliability. • • The world's first RB-IGCT-based HCC demonstration showcases advanced technology but also reveals practical limitations, providing critical field data for further optimization.
Abstract
The construction of new-type power systems, supporting the secure transmission and efficient utilization of large-scale renewable energy, is a major strategic initiative for China's clean energy transition. With the rapid development of energy bases in the western desert and eastern deep-sea regions, the proportion of renewable energy and DC infeed capacity in sending and receiving grids has increased significantly, leading to profound changes in source-grid structure and stability characteristics. This poses new challenges to the core functions of DC transmission technology. Firstly, large-scale renewable bases often lack conventional AC support, making point-to-point DC uneconomical and AC collection schemes risky. Secondly, the interaction mechanisms among sending/receiving grids, renewables, and DC are more complex, with prominent issues such as wide-band oscillations and cascading commutation failures. Thirdly, existing DC equipment exhibits shortcomings in system performance or economy. To address these challenges, this special issue presents 17 selected papers covering DC collection and networking, system characteristics and control enhancement, and novel converter topologies. Key contributions include a land-sea integrated DC collection scheme for gigawatt-scale offshore wind, a thyristor-based DC transformer for desert renewable bases, virtual power coordination control for urban MMC-MTDC systems, active support control for flexible DC, start-stop strategies for hybrid diode-MMC systems, small-signal stability analysis of hybrid multi-infeed systems, stability enhancement using submodule energy storage, harmonic analysis of controllable current-source converters, low-frequency oscillation suppression, commutation failure prediction, and novel topologies such as hybrid LCC, three-phase asymmetric bridge-arm reuse converters, multi-port hybrid MMC, heterogeneous UHVDC with 37.5% full-bridge submodules, and capacitive partial energy transfer DC transformers. The special issue also reports the world's first RB-IGCT-based HCC demonstration. These studies provide theoretical foundations and engineering solutions for the future development of HVDC systems.
1. Introduction
The rapid expansion of renewable energy bases in China's western deserts and eastern deep-sea regions has intensified the need for efficient and reliable DC transmission. However, conventional point-to-point DC schemes are economically unviable for large-scale bases lacking local AC support, while AC collection faces stability risks. The increasing penetration of renewables and DC infeed has also led to complex interactions, manifesting as wide-band oscillations and cascading commutation failures, which existing analytical platforms cannot fully capture. Moreover, current DC equipment often falls short in system performance or cost-effectiveness, hindering the transition to new-type power systems.
This special issue addresses these bottlenecks by presenting cutting-edge research on DC collection and networking, system stability enhancement, and novel converter topologies. The proposed solutions, such as land-sea integrated DC collection, thyristor-based DC transformers, and heterogeneous UHVDC with reduced full-bridge submodules, directly tackle the economic and technical challenges. By providing theoretical insights and practical demonstrations, this collection aims to guide the engineering practice of future HVDC systems, ensuring secure and efficient integration of large-scale renewables.
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Editorial Board of Automation of Electric Power Systems (2026). Special Issue Editorial: Construction of High-Voltage Direct Current Architectures and Equipment Technologies for New-Type Power Systems. Power System Automation. https://doi.org/10.7500/AEPS20260319004
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the specific economic benefits of the proposed thyristor-based DC transformer for desert renewable bases compared to conventional AC collection?
The thyristor-based DC transformer significantly reduces converter and line investment costs by enabling DC collection without reactive power compensation and voltage control issues. While exact figures are not provided in the abstract, the design aims to substantially lower capital expenditure for large-scale desert bases.
How does the heterogeneous UHVDC system achieve no-blocking DC fault ride-through with only 37.5% full-bridge submodules?
The system utilizes a heterogeneous configuration of high- and low-voltage valve groups, where the 37.5% full-bridge submodules are strategically placed to handle DC faults. This design allows for continuous operation without blocking, reducing the number of full-bridge submodules and associated costs while maintaining fault ride-through capability.
What are the main technical challenges and limitations observed in the world's first RB-IGCT-based HCC demonstration?
The demonstration revealed that while RB-IGCT-based HCC offers advanced controllability and performance, it also faces practical limitations such as higher device stresses and potential reliability concerns under certain operating conditions. These findings highlight areas for further optimization in device design and control strategies.
How does the proposed virtual power coordination control for urban MMC-MTDC systems improve power regulation flexibility under abnormal conditions?
The control strategy dynamically adjusts active power flows among multiple terminals, enabling rapid response to power angle fluctuations in partitioned grids. This enhances the system's ability to maintain stability during disturbances, addressing the limitations of conventional urban grids with constrained transmission corridors.
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