It’s a world record. Siemens is connecting the French and Spanish power grids with a DC link capable of transmitting the power of two typical gigawatt power stations.
At the heart of the new system is a converter that uses insulated gate
bipolar transistors (IGBTs), which are semiconductor devices that
convert alternating current into direct current and vice-versa. The
system is very flexible since IGBTs can be switched at any time, no
matter how high the voltage. A reactive power exchange is possible
between each power converter and the three-phase alternating current
network, which helps to stabilize overloaded grids. In addition, MMC
technology causes few high-frequency faults, which diminish voltage
quality. So there is no need for high frequency filters. The system also
has a black start capability, which means the grid doesn’t require
external assistance to gradually restart after a blackout. Another
advantage of the system is that the energy converters don’t have to
change their polarity if the direction of the transmission is reversed,
thus reducing wear and tear.
I wonder about the magnetic field near those lines …
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