Hybrid AC MTCD Transmission System

The increasing stress on electricity transmission networks posed by increasing loads and renewable generation needs innovative solutions to cover for the lagging investments in grid expansion. One such solution is the introduction of embedded HVDC, first in the form of a point-to-point connection sharing the transmission corridor with a high-voltage AC circuit and later converted to a multiterminal DC system. Such solutions, though technically complex and expensive, will become indispensable in certain application environments which are bound to become more prevalent due to the increasing volatility of demand and supply.

This project explores the evolution and basic design of such an idea. The project scope included basic specifications, preliminary cost estimates, and simulations. The outcomes reveal that it is possible to create reliable hybrid AC DC systems which can match the performance of AC solutions under traditional scenarios. Such hybridization is the only way to tackle certain grid challenges where traditional AC solutions do not work.