The Role of HVDC and Power Electronics in Shaping the Future Electric Grid with Large Loads and Renewables
The electric power industry is undergoing substantial expansion across generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure. This development is being driven by projected load growth, particularly from large-scale electricity consumers such as artificial-intelligence data centers and electric-vehicle charging facilities.
A substantial number of high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) systems and power-electronics-based Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) controllers are expected to be deployed across transmission and distribution networks. These technologies will be essential to serving the requirements of large new loads while facilitating the integration of renewable energy resources.
According to Pike Research, HVDC transmission is emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments of the utility sector. Cleantech Market Intelligence reports that cumulative global investment in HVDC systems reached approximately US $120 billion between 2012 and 2020, with expenditures continuing to increase rapidly throughout the 2020s. Although a substantial share of this growth is concentrated in China and India, HVDC deployment is also accelerating across Europe, North America, Australia, and other regions as utilities address rising electricity demand and renewable energy integration requirements.
This presentation highlights the state-of-the-art in HVDC and FACTS technologies and explores new applications, including AC line conversion to DC and advances in converter designs such as modular multilevel voltage-source converters (VSCs)
Dr. Ram Adapa is a Technical Executive in the Energy Delivery and Customer Solutions at EPRI. His research activities focus on High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission, Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS), Custom Power, Fault Current Limiters, and Substation Seismic Studies.
Dr. Adapa joined EPRI in 1989 as a Project Manager in the Power System Planning and Operations program. Later he became Product Line Leader for Transmission, Substations, and Grid Operations where he developed the research portfolio and business execution plans for the Grid Operations and Planning areas. Some of the tools in this portfolio included market restructuring, transmission pricing, ancillary services, and security tools to maintain the reliability of the grid.
Before joining EPRI, Dr. Adapa worked at McGraw-Edison Power Systems (presently known as Eaton Cooper Power Systems) as a Staff Engineer in the Systems Engineering Department.
Dr. Adapa received a BS degree in electrical engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, India, an MS degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India, and a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Dr. Adapa is an IEEE Fellow and has been honored several times by IEEE for his outstanding contributions to the profession. He received the 2016 IEEE PES Nari Hingorani Custom Power Award and the 2023 IEEE PES Uno Lamm HVDC Award. He has authored or coauthored more than 125 technical papers and is an IEEE Distinguished Lecturer. He is an individual member of CIGRE and a Registered Professional Engineer.