Powering up for ACDC….gain crucial knowledge for the next steps to net zero

ACDC 2023 is the 19th international conference on AC and DC power transmission, and is looking forward to returning to an in-person format, the first since 2019. It takes place in Glasgow on 1 -3 March 2023, and the key focus is the technologies and projects which support the energy transition, and creating the net-zero grid of the future.

Co-chair Dr Khaled Ahmed, Reader of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde, is looking forward to having the conference take place in his home city. “We are really excited to have it in person. You really will find it very interesting, and with some surprises,” he said.

Top names in power transmission

We’re looking forward to hearing from some of the top experts in transmission over the course of ACDC, and the opening keynote speaker will be Julian Leslie, Head of Networks and Chief Engineer at National Grid ESO. He will set the scene by looking at some of the barriers to achieving net zero in a turbulent global climate, and inspire attendees to think about practical ways to overcome these challenges.

Several of Europe’s transmission system operators are represented. Dr Cora Pertino-Wagner of TenneT and Cornelius Heck from 50Hertz Transmission GmbH will be giving a joint case study presentation on developing Germany’s first HVDC hub. Dennis de Decker, Head of Engineering at WindGrid Elia Group, will explore multi-purpose interconnectors and how greater value can be extracted from interconnection.

Other thought leaders confirmed to speak include Fitim Kryezi, senior electrical design lead of the North Sea Energy Island, Energinet, who will talk about the planning and design of Denmark’s future Energy Islands; Perry Hofbauer, Lead Principal HVDC Engineer, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, examining the opportunities and risks surrounding HVDC interoperability; Rosalia Rivas, Head of Reliability of Power Systems, Red Eléctrica de España, with a case study of the energy transition in Spain and what a power system with large amounts of power electronic devices looks like; and lots more.

Have your say and join the debate

“ACDC is all about knowledge,” says committee member Chidinma Agwu, Senior HV/MV Components Engineer at Ørsted. And we want all our delegates to benefit from the knowledge of everyone attending, as well as the speakers. So a significant part of the programme is given over to debate and panel discussion sessions.

Hot topics where you can have your say include HVDC resilience and reliability, navigating through potentially disconnected policies, balancing innovation with cost and delivery concerns, and whether a whole-system approach is the future – increasing grid capacity to enable renewable connection and stability.

See some of the latest projects in action

The two days of presentations will be preceded by a full day of site visits and tutorials, on 1 March. Choose from visits to the National HVDC Centre and Power Networks Demonstration Centre, a visit to the Scottish Power Whitelee Wind Farm, or a tutorial by Manitoba Hydro International, offering the first in-person training courses on PSCAD in the UK since the Covid-19 pandemic.

It’s all about the networking too!

In between all this activity, there will be ample opportunities to relax and get to know your fellow transmission engineers from across the globe, with a drinks reception in the conference venue, where you can also explore the exhibition of vendors and their latest products, and a conference dinner – venue to be announced!

To sum up, why is ACDC 2023 important for the industry? Committee member Nicola Todd, Head of Innovation at National Grid Electricity Transmission, who is also chairing the innovation panel session, couldn’t put it better:

“We are not going to achieve net zero if we are not innovative, thinking about things differently, and collaborating, so this is a fantastic opportunity to bring all those things together.”

Interested in learning more? Head over to http://bit.ly/3FO18BZ to see the full programme, more details and to book your place.