In order to ensure the proper integration of the increasing use of renewable generation into the distribution grid, and to manage power flows to provide ancillary services to the grid, the possibility of meshing such AC grids with medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) connections is being explored in collaboration with DSO Unareti.
With recent improvements in power electronics converters to interface renewable generation systems, storage systems and an increasing proportion of loads can be connected directly to DC distribution grids, bringing energy benefits to the system.
In collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano, it is planned to complete a prototype of a hybrid type breaker for LVDC grids and related experiments within the DC microgrid available at RSE.
In order to analyse the possible conversion of overhead transmission lines from AC to DC, it is planned to experimentally characterize different types of insulators (polymer or glass with RTV coating) with aging and multi-stress tests with DC power supply.