UBITECH ENERGY announces the successful kick-off meeting of the HYNET “PAN-EUROPEAN INTEROPERABLE AC-DC HYBRID ELECTRICITY NETWORKS” project, held on October 10-11, 2024, in Brussels. HYNET, a cutting-edge Research and Innovation Action funded by the European Commission (Grant Agreement No. 101172757), officially launched on October 1st, 2024, and will run through September 2027. The project brings together leading energy stakeholders to reshape the future of electricity grids across Europe.
The HYNET projects aims to: (i) develop innovative technologies for transnational design and planning of AC/DC hybrid power systems, (ii) establish standardized methodologies and interoperability for multi-terminal, multi-vendor MVDC and LVDC systems, (iii) define and validate functional requirements for AC and DC grid forming capabilities, (iv) design, implement and demonstrate a complete workbench of innovative solutions that promotes the adoption and deployment of DC power systems across all voltage levels while evaluating the technoeconomic benefits of DC vs AC systems, (v) demonstrate HYNET innovations in 4 countries across Europe in existing and planned AC/DC hybrid grids.
In HYNET, UBITECH ENERGY undertakes the overall project and consortium coordination, as well as the scientific coordination and innovation management. Moreover, UBITECH ENERGY drives the interoperability aspects and the integration of HYNET technologies. In particular, UBITECH ENERGY is responsible for a) Coordination of the hardware and software components of the HYNET Virtual Lab, which is composed of the various simulation platforms, hardware set-ups and validation processes provided by the partners’ tools (different simulation set-ups of the Component layer); b) Assessment of Interoperability for Multi-Terminal, Vendor agnostic AC/DC Hybrid and DC Systems. Technical interoperability is going to be achieved through the incorporation of the different field-level protocols adaptors (e.g., adaptors for a set of common control devices’ EMS and operators’ SCADA platforms, Field layer) across the different network applications considered in the HYNET framework (Operation layer); c) Development of a Multi-Target-Aware Electricity System Orchestration Framework (Operation Layer) to establish effective interaction of components and systems within the HYNET simulation environment, incorporating SCADA communications and dedicated Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) hardware for any bulk component (e.g., breaker, transformer, etc.) on the distribution grid level, phasor measurement units (PMUs), as well as the most advanced protocols to represent all the technical and contractual parameters of DERs, such as IEEE 2030.5, which is built for Internet-based communications for very large number of small devices and other (e.g., IEEE 1378-1997, IEC 61850, Modbus, DNP3); d) Integration of Operational Planning and Design Procedures.