The Latest Trend of VSC HVDC

There have been various discussions in Japan on how to introduce renewable energy toward the target of carbon neutrality in 2050. The “Interim Report for Network Master Plan” issued by the “Study Committee on Master Plans for Wide-Area Interconnection Systems and System Rules” on May 20, 2021 describes the possibility that large-scale, long-distance power transmission from power generation areas to large demand areas by high-voltage direct current transmission system (HVDC) is effective for mass introduction of renewable energy. The introduction of HVDC is already expanding overseas, such as in Europe, and the trend is accelerating. The background to this is that it has been demonstrated that strengthening interconnection by HVDC has economic rationality and that it brings various benefits to existing power systems such as strengthening resilience. This paper describes the latest trends in the HVDC market and technology. © 2022 The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan.