Panel session on PEBB concepts - from medium voltage drives to high voltage applications

Deregulation and privatization are posing new challenges to high voltage transmission and distributions systems. System components are loaded up to their thermal limits, and power trading with fast varying load patterns is leading to an increasing congestion. In addition to this, the dramatic global climate developments call for changes in the way electricity is supplied. Innovative solutions with HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) and FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) have the potential to cope with the big challenges of the evolving power markets. New power electronic technologies, using the PEBB (Power Electronic Building Blocks) concept with self-commutated modular multilevel converters (MMC) provide advanced technical features for control of voltage and power flow, the capability to supply weak or even passive networks as well as reduction in space requirements. The technology, named as HVDC PLUS and SVC PLUS^®, is dedicated for the intensified integration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES), e.g. large wind farms. The tasks are transmission, when DC cables are applied, as well as power quality for Grid Code compliance, especially when AC cables are used [1-6].