Smarter Transmission For a Green Transition. The future of our transmission systems for electricity will be the focus in this session. In Europe future grids originating from the Supergrid project will be the transmission backbone of Europe’s decarbonized power sector.

1. 1
The European Supergrid is inevitable
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3rd International Student Energy Summit, Trondheim 13 June 2013
Ana Aguado, CEO, Friends of the Supergrid

2. The Friends of the Supergrid
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The Friends of the Supergrid

3. History of the Internal Electricity Market
●1986 European Single Act
●1996: the first directive is adopted (after 8
years of discussions, a record)
●2003: second package with new directive
(repealing the previous one) and a new
regulation for cross-border exchanges. Plus
ERGEG (European regulators group)
●2009: third package with new directive and
regulation (repealing the previous ones)

4. OBJECTIVES OF ENERGY PACKAGES
●Create competition for the industry and the
consumers
●Improve the liquidity of the markets
An open market integrated and competitive

5. EC Regulation in force from 15 May on European
infrastructure priorities
● Priority limited to 12 strategic trans-
European corridors and areas
● Rules to identify projects of EU interest
● Harmonised cost benefit analysis
● Coordination of cross-border investments
approval process
● Conditions for eligibility of projects of EU
interest

6. Why then….the Supergrid?
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Offshore wind
Solar
Hydro
• Carbon neutral Europe
by 2050
• Single European
electricity market
• Secure and sustainable
supply
• Transformed energy
system
• Innovative technology
to use and export
• Skilled employment
opportunities

7. What is the Supergrid?
7
Offshore wind
Solar
Hydro
The Supergrid is a pan-
European transmission
network facilitating
the integration of large-
scale renewable energy
and the balancing and
transportation of
electricity, with the aim
of improving the
European market

8. Timetable – Phase 0 and Phase 1
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 Phase 0 – 2015-
2020
 Phase 1 – 2020+

9. Policy and Regulation
Supergrid requires:
– a new and stable community-wide
regulatory framework backed-up by strong
political support.
– a full top-down EU approach planning
methodology.
– risk adjusted returns to attract substantial
investment.
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10. New policy and regulatory aspects needed
●2050 Supergrid design
now: develop in phases
●One operator in future: a
European ISO?
●EU grid codes
●One regulator
●Ownership: TSOs and
investors
Possible Regulatory hints for the future
Supergrid

11. OffshoreGrid Study: Hub connections would save €14 billion and additional meshed
connections costs of €5-8 bn would bring benefits of €16-21bn

12. Windmolenparken op zee

13. 13

14. 14
Roadmap to Supergrid Technologies
Updates 2013
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“1st Roadmap Technology“ Report in March
2012
q
Applications for Supergrid
q
Network Technologies for Supergrid
q
Scenarios for the Development of Supergrid
Roadmap update March 2013 (106 pp)
q
Recent developments in line with the scenario
q
New Sections on
q
Energy storage
q
Supergrid control
q
Relation Microgrid and Supergrid
q
Supplementary report on work in CIGRE & CENELEC
(25 pp)
Read it – appreciate your comments and suggestions!

15. Recent Key Developments
Technical landmarks during 2012
● DC current interruption enable planning of the HVDC
Supergrid now. Building blocks
– Hybrid HVDC Breaker and Half bridges
– Full bridge with fast switches
● Capacity increase in cable factories, ships, production
and engineering facilities are announced
– Gearing up for anticipated larger future volumes
● The number of interconnection and embedded HVDC
links in construction increases rapidly with higher power
ratings
– E.g. South-West link SE, EWIP IR-UK, INELFE FR-ES,
Western link UK
● FOSG technology members spend every year around 4%
of their turnover on R&D: large part on transmission
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16. Meshed HVDC Grid system
Here breakers are needed to isolate faults on
the DC side from the remaining healthy parts
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In a future power network with a high density of DC converter
station it is logical to connect them also on the DC side to have
a combined AC and DC transmission grid

17. The Hybrid HVDC Breaker
Announced in Nov 2012
● Selected by MIT Technology Review
as one of ten breakthrough
technologies 2012. “The high
power breaker makes the HVDC
power grids practical. ... The
Supergrid is a key to sustainable
economic growth”
● The Hybrid path enables a dramatic
reduction in losses and operation
below 5 millisecond
● Also available as a pure semi-
conductor design with breaking
operation below 1 millisecond, but
with higher losses
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1 2
3 4
Image by ABB

18. DC Breaker model
Several manufacturers have reported successful
HVDC breaker tests results
18Image by Alstom

19. Most Powerful and Flexible
Solutions for Transmission
Full Bridge MMC as already used for power frequency
conversion and reactive power compensation in
Industry and Energy applications. (Image by Siemens)
Main Features:
y Inherent DC turn-off capability
y Independent DC Voltage control for:
– Load flow control in extended DC Grids
– DC fault current control
– Unlimited number of fast and smooth
DC Voltage recoveries after faults
y Broad experience in
74 Industrial and Energy applications in
operation or in project execution
(April 2013)

20. No Transition without Transmission
www.friendsofthesupergrid.eu
Ana Aguado Cornago