High-voltage DC breakers

High-voltage DC breakers   ABB recently developed a powerful, high-voltage, direct-current (HVDC) breaker that will significantly impact the use of wind-generated electricity. The HVDC breaker removes a 100-year-old technological barrier in the development of DC transmission grids. DC can carry three times more power over long distances, with up to 50% less power loss than alternating current. In the past, it wasn’t widely used due to an inability to safely stop the current or identify errors across a power grid. The new HVDC technology facilitates the long distance transfer of offshore wind energy into electricity networks in a safe, cost-efficient and power-saving manner. Further information, including video, can be found at http://www.abb.com/hvdcgrid.

ABB
www.abb.com
 


Volume: July/August 2013