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Standardisation of measurements for DC electricity grids

Short Name: DC grids, Project Number: 20NRM03
Image showing sunrise at a solar power plant
Sunrise at a solar power plant

Supporting development and deployment of alternative power distribution infrastructures


Incumbent electricity grid infrastructures, designed when large thermal power generation, distributed by alternating current, was the norm, effectively now acts as barriers to take-up of renewables, that typically suit distribution via direct current. As well as enabling more efficient distribution of power from renewables such as solar photovoltaics, direct current (DC) grids could require lower infrastructure equipment costs, savings that might be passed on to consumers, and support more capacity for electric vehicle charging. Such grid infrastructure would require investment, helped through greater confidence among investors, industry, and consumers.

 

However, confidence could be undermined by a lack of suitable methods to quantify the benefits of trial DC grids. For example, measurements of DC grid power quality (PQ), if available, would help optimise grid technologies. Standards bodies have prioritised the development of definitions of power quality, guidance, and other revisions to standards for DC-power systems, but the necessary underlying metrology does not yet exist.

 

The project has developed instrumentation, algorithms, definitions and methodologies to support standardisation. This project  built on the previous EMPIR project MyRailS, that started to improve energy efficiency of railway networks by refining energy and power measurement systems. DC grids will generate instrumentation, algorithms, definitions and methodologies to support standardisation of the metrological infrastructure. Equipment to measure disturbances in DC grids will be developed, and data analysed to define parameters for grid monitoring and electricity meter testing.

 

New forms of data, methods, guidelines and recommendations, will contribute to revisions to European and international standards, and help grid operators to conduct power quality planning surveys and suppliers to ensure reliable DC metering.

 

Standards will contribute to the deployment and development of DC grid trials and technologies, support investment in technologies that could enable less carbon-intensive electrical grids, and advance the research agenda of the European Metrology Network on Smart Electricity Grids.

 

Project website
Publications
Power Quality Measurements in a Low-Voltage DC Microgrid in an Open Parking Garage
2024

International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference 2024

Traceability for AC ripple over DC current
2024

IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement

Setup for the Calibration of Current Measuring Systems Under DC Signals Affected by Ripple
2023

2023 IEEE 13th International Workshop on Applied Measurements for Power Systems (AMPS)

Setup for Testing Energy Meters with Disturbed DC Signals Occuring in DC Charging Stations
2023

2023 IEEE 13th International Workshop on Applied Measurements for Power Systems (AMPS)

DC active electrical energy meters: Accuracy tests
2022

2022 IEEE 12th International Workshop on Applied Measurements for Power Systems (AMPS)

Novel Method for Accurate Measurement of Ripplefor Power Quality Applications in DC Grids
2022

2022 Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements (CPEM 2022)

Traceable Power Quality Measurements in DC Electricity Grids
2022

2022 Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements (CPEM 2022)

Measurement Setup for a DC Power Reference for Electricity Meter Calibration
2022

2022 20th International Conference on Harmonics & Quality of Power (ICHQP)

Development of a Transfer Standard for DC Power Quality Reference Systems
2022

2022 IEEE 12th International Workshop on Applied Measurements for Power Systems (AMPS)

On-site PQ Measurements in a Real DC Micro-grid
2022

2022 20th International Conference on Harmonics & Quality of Power (ICHQP)

Considerations on Voltage Ripple Assessment in dc Power Network
2022

2022 IEEE 12th International Workshop on Applied Measurements for Power Systems (AMPS)

Testing of DC Electricity Meters with Broadband Conducted Electromagnetic Disturbances
2022

20th International Conference on Harmonics & Quality of Power (ICHQP)

Detection of Dips, Swells and Interruptions in DC Power Network
2022

2022 20th International Conference on Harmonics & Quality of Power (ICHQP)

A Transfer Standard for DC Power Inter-Laboratory Comparison
2022

2022 Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements (CPEM 2022)

Other Participants
Electricite de France (France)
Fundacion Circe Centro de investigacion de recursos y consumos energeticos (Spain)
Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (Netherlands)
Università degli studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli (Italy)
University of Strathclyde (United Kingdom)

Information

Programme
EMPIR
Field
Normative
Status
completed
Call
2020
Duration
2021-2024