Speeding Up the Localization of 'Future-Oriented Power Grid Technology'

Presentation on the Development Achievements of Domestic Voltage-Source HVDC Technology

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that, as part of the Corporate Trend Response Team activities, it will hold the 'Voltage-Source High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Localization Technology Development Performance Presentation' on the 10th at the SETEC Convention Center in Seoul, with 20 related organizations in attendance.

The development of voltage-source HVDC technology involved an investment of 157.8 billion KRW (22.1 billion KRW from the government and 135.7 billion KRW from the private sector), with participation from 20 industry-academia-research institutions including Korea Electric Power Corporation, Hyosung, and the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, securing localization technology capabilities. At the performance presentation, reports on the progress of research and development and research achievements by participating organizations were shared, followed by discussions on the future direction of voltage-source HVDC technology.

HVDC is a high-voltage direct current transmission method that offers advantages over traditional alternating current transmission, such as long-distance large-capacity transmission, power flow control, and no electromagnetic wave generation. Accordingly, the HVDC market is continuously expanding worldwide, connecting large-scale offshore wind farms and other renewable energy complexes across multiple countries. In particular, voltage-source HVDC allows real-time bidirectional power flow control compared to the conventional current-source type and is advantageous for system stabilization, representing cutting-edge technology possessed only by advanced foreign countries.

The acquisition of full-cycle localization technology for HVDC design, manufacturing, testing, and operation is expected by the government to lay the foundation for creating a domestic power industry ecosystem, further linking national advanced industries with carbon-free power sources, enabling stable power system operation, substituting imported equipment that was previously dependent on foreign sources, and pioneering promising overseas export markets. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy plans to complete the development by March next year after performance evaluation in an actual system through the Yangju converter station, which serves as a demonstration test bed for voltage-source HVDC localization.

Lee Ok-heon, Director of Power Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated, "Along with seeking industrial promotion and export strategies to activate domestic voltage-source HVDC technology, we will spare no support while communicating with the field to enhance the international competitiveness of our companies for the advancement of HVDC technology."