September 2016

Please see our Dissemination webpages for details of researcher publications.

WP1: Connection of offshore wind power to DC grids

This Work Package is led by UPC and has researchers, Marc Cheah, Muhammad Raza, Kevin Schönleber and Domenico Ricchiuto, based in Cardiff, UPC and ALSTOM (GE).  Domenico completed his time in MEDOW in March.

This WP has achieved all expected objectives and researchers are successfully completing their tasks and deliverables to meet our objectives:

O1: Design and analyse the topologies of offshore DC grids. Some work has been done in the direction of designing, analysing and controlling offshore AC hubs comprising several wind farms and power converters. Next steps will include multiterminal HVDC systems and offshore HVDC grids.

O2: Determine steady state operation characteristics. The power converter operation characteristics have been identified and algorithms for analysis have been developed.

O3: Develop dynamic control systems for offshore DC grids. Appropriate models have been developed to analyse the dynamic behaviours of offshore AC hubs with offshore wind power plants.

WP1 milestones

  • DC grids suitable for offshore wind determined –  achieved
  • Converter characteristics determined – achieved
  • Algorithms for determining operating points developed – achieved
  • Wind farm model available for use –  achieved
  • Wind power reduction method developed –  achieved

WP1 Deliverables

  • Various DC grid configuration; cost model technical index and comparison algorithm – achieved
  • Various operation modes of converters, V-I characteristics – achieved
  • Methods for determining the operating points – deliverable pending, most of the work done
  • Controllers of wind farm converters of the DC grid – achived
  • Methods to reduce wind power output to avoid over DC voltage –achieved

WP2: Investigation of voltage source converters for DC grids

Cardiff leads this work package and WP members are Cinergia, KU Leuven and CEPRI, represented by researchers Agustí Egea and Robert Renner who have completed their contracts in April and August, but also by Jorge Gonçalves, Abel Ferreira who completed their contracts in September.  Most milestones and deliverables for this WP have been achieved.

The main research objectives of the WP2 is to investigate the interaction of various voltage source converters (two level, half bridge MMC (modular multi-level converter), full bride MMC and mixed MCC) operating in the same DC grids.

WP2 milestones

  • Model of voltage source converter developed – completed
  • Identification of the problem in various configurations and solutions provided – completed
  • Recommendation on the DC grid standardisation – completed
  • DC grid configuration tested – completed
  • Simulation software packages and experimental test platform available for use – completed

WP2 deliverables

  • Models of two-level and multi-level converters for simulation – completed
  • Cost model technical index and comparison algorithm – in progress
  • Configurations of converter stations; configurations of DC grid with combination of different types of converters – in progress
  • Suggestions on the DC voltage levels – completed
  • Recommendation on the standard for connecting more converters – completed
  • Simulation models of converters, cables, grounding and DC network – completed

WP3: Relaying Protection

Universidade do Porto leads this work package and WP members are EFACEC, UPC and KU Leuven.

Researchers are: Mohammed Meraj Alam (UPORTO), Ataollah Mokhberdoran (EFACEC), Rodrigo Teixeira-Pinto (UPC) and Sahar Pirooz-Azad (KU Leuven).  Rodrigo and Sahar finished their time in MEDOW in September 2015. The last milestone is hoped they will be delivered by 30th November 2016.

This report relates the main activities of P3 from October 2015 to the end of February 2016.

WP3 milestones

  • DC protection requirement determined – completed
  • DC circuit breaker technologies summarised – completed
  • DC protection algorithm developed – completed
  • Post-fault restoration with various DC circuit breakers and isolators determined – completed
  • Solution of AC protection upgrade provided – in progress

WP3 deliverables

  • Determined specification of DC circuit breakers to meet DC fault handling requirements – completed
  • Test circuit for DC protection available – completed
  • Protection algorithm suitable for DC grids – completed
  • Procedures to clear the DC faults and restore the DC grid – in progress
  • Impact of DC grid to AC protection – completed
  • Solution to reduce the impact of AC protection – in progress

WP4: Interactive AC/DC grids

WP4 is led by KU Leuven and has members based at Cardiff, ELIA, DTU and Cardiff: Tibin Joseph, Gen Li, Alejandro Bayo Salas, Jayachandra Naidu and Qing Mu. ESR9 Robert Renner of WP2 also contributes to the Work package.

All tasks, deliverables and milestones have been either completed or are being finalised. A considerable number of scientific outputs (20 to date) have been realised.

WP4 milestones

  • Impact between AC and DC grids determined – completed
  • Recommendation of DC grid code made – completed
  • suggestion on AC grid code made – completed
  • Control strategy to remove the obstacle for DC/AC interconnection designed – completed
  • AC/DC system and control strategy validated – completed
  • Simulation platforms available for use – completed
  • Test rig available for investigating DC/AC grids – partially completed

WP4 deliverables

  • Integrated AC/DC grid model developed on various simulation tools – completed
  • Power flow algorithm developed; determination of the impact of AC faults on DC grids – completed
  • Determination of the impact of DC faults on AC grids – completed
  • Recommendation of DC grid code to be met by any new terminal – completed
  • Suggestion of the AC grid code to connect DC grids – completed
  • Controllers to improve stability of AC grid and to damp the SSR developed – completed
  • Validated AC/DC grid models; validated control system – completed
  • Experimental test platform available for use – partially completed
  • Coordinated control strategies of multi-terminal DC grids for ancillary services delivered by wind power plants – completed

WP5: Network training events

All 12 ESRs and 5 ERs, as well as some researchers from outside the network, attended the network training week in Barcelona,  Spain in December 2015.  The week was hosted by Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya .  See the event webpage for details.

We are on track to achieve all of our network training deliverables. MEDOW researchers have been benefiting from a wide range of training activities, including industry days, personal skills development, lectures from our Visiting Scientists, and group discussions of their individual projects.

  • Research Training workshops held December 2013 and July 2014 (Task 5.1) and Assembly Meetings held January 2015, June 2015 and December 2015 (Task 5.6)
  • Research seminars held December 2013, July 2014 and June 2015 (Task 5.2)
  • Industrial Days held December 2013, July 2014, January 2015, June 2015 and December 2015 (Task 5.5)
  • Complementary skills training held July 2014, Jan 2015, June 2015 and December 2015 (Task 5.7)
  • The Network-wide Training Programme was reviewed bythe MEDOW Supervisory Board in July 2014 (Milestone 5.1). The Programme brings together training programme as laid out in Annex I and maps network training activities to Tasks, Milestones and Deliverables for WP5.
  • Network events held in Cardiff (December 2013), in Porto (July 2014), in Leuven and Brussels (January 2015), in Roskilde (June 2015) and in Barcelona (December 2015).

Meetings of the Supervisory Board and Training Steering Committee, which oversee MEDOW’s researcher training activities took place at the Barcelona meeting.  Discussions  on future network training weeks, including the MEDOW conference day as part of the IEEE EnergyCon conference in April 2016 took place.

WP6: Training of individual ESR/ER

Meetings of the Supervisory Board and Training Steering Committee, which oversee MEDOW’s researcher training activities took place.

  • All ESR and ER Personal Career Development Plans (PCDP) were peer reviewed by a member of the network and approved by the Training Steering Committee using the MEDOW PCDP Approval Process (Task 6.1 and Milestone 6.1).
  • ESRs and ERs are continuing to monitor and review their PCDPs with their supervisor(s) and Work Package leaders (Milestone 6.2)
  • All ESRs are enrolled on PhD degree programmes (Task 6.3)
  • Secondments have been completed or are in the final stages. ESRs and ERs have written a short report on each secondment – these will feed into Task 6.2/Deliverable 6.2 “Report of secondments”, which will be part of the MEDOW Final Report.

WP7: Dissemination and outreach activities

MEDOW researchers have made a great start to their dissemination activities!  So far, they have presented 34 international conference and colloquium papers and have presented their work at a wide range of local conferences and research workshops. Details of MEDOW’s publications, presentations and public outreach activities can be seen on the Dissemination webpages.

  • A Network-wide outreach event was held at Cardiff University in December 2013 and a video ‘MEDOW In One Minute’, which is available on YouTube and the project website, was made at Universidade do Porto in July 2015 (Task 7.1/Milestone 7.1/Deliverable 7.1)
  • Two Network-wide outreach events were held in Barcelona in December 2015: MEDOW researchers taught a class on ‘Grid Integration of Renewable Energy’ to Masters students and also met with students of a local school, Escola Sunion, to explain their work (Task 7.1/Milestone 7.1/Deliverable 7.1)
  • Internal guidelines for dissemination were drafted in December 2013, approved by D&IP Committee in January 2014 and circulated to all network members.
  • Various forms of dissemination have taken place e.g. story about MEDOW contributed by ESR7 to Indian newspapers; publication of quarterly external newsletters; articles on MEDOW in many online energy/renewables websites (Deliverable 7.2).
  • Facebook profile and LinkedIn group launched November 2014 (Deliverable 7.2).

WP8: Network management

The first Periodic Report was submitted to the European Commission in May 2015 and has been accepted by the Commission.

  • The MEDOW website was set up in summer 2013 (Task 8.1 and Deliverable 8.1)
  • Network meetings 1-6 have taken place (Task 8.2 and Deliverable 8.2)
  • Year 1 progress report submitted April 2014, Mid-Term Report submitted December 2014, 1st Periodic report submitted May 2015 (Task 8.3 and Deliverable 8.3)
  • Successful Mid-Term Review meeting with European Commission in January 2015
  • Grant Agreement and Concortium Agreement completed in 2013 (Milestone 8.1)
  • Recruitment of all ESRs by Spring 2014 and all ERs by Spring 2015 (Milestone 8.2)