The strategic role of grids
by André Merlin, Medgrid, France
Abstract - The World is now going through a third energy revolution and we have just entered an era of low carbon energy and sustainable development. In this new power context, electricity will have a predominant position and the power system networks will play a strategic role. They are necessary to enable the integration of large quantities of renewable energies of intermittent character into the electrical system, but also to increase the energy solidarity through a mutual power systems support between countries within a region and between neighboring regions, and to complete the integration of internal electricity markets at wide regional levels. This requires a drastic change of the role of power systems, implying both the development of large interconnections (super grids) and more intelligent systems (smart grids) particularly at lower voltage (distribution networks). Among the technologies which should enable the necessary changes, innovative solutions based on power electronics and HVDC are expected to play a major role.