Capacity additions of high voltage direct current systems worldwide 2010-2021

The market for high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems has flourished over the last few years. The growth has been steady since 2018 and, in 2021, capacity additions amounted to 50 gigawatts. The Greater China region dominated the market and accounted for over 60 percent of the global installed capacity of HVDC systems in 2021.

HVDC transmission systems

HVDC electric power transmission systems use direct current for electricity transmission. They present several advantages compared to high voltage alternate current (HVAC) transmission, such as less power loss in the transmitting cable. Line Commutated Converters (LCCs) and Voltage Source Converters (VSCs) are the two main HVDC converter technologies. LCCs have greater popularity among HVDC systems worldwide, although VSCs are expanding, especially in European and Middle Eastern countries.

Applications of HVDC

HVDC technologies can be used for interconnecting power plants and electricity grid facilities. For instance, they enabled the transmission of power produced in offshore wind farms to the inland grid. For this reason, the growing renewable energy sector drives the demand for HVDC installations. The two other applications of HVDC are bulk power transmission and electricity supply in crowded urban areas since they need fewer transmission lines than HVAC systems.