A Proposal for Open-Source HVDC Control

Future multiterminal high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) grids are considered an enabling technology to efficiently integrate large amounts of renewable energy into the existing grid. However, already in today's existing point-to-point HVDC links, harmonic interaction issues and instabilities related to the control and protection system of the converters have been reported. The converter control software is usually black-boxed and problems are therefore solved in close cooperation with the HVDC vendor. This paper aims to provide a starting point for a discussion on an open-source HVDC control system. In particular, it covers the control design including technical and non-technical aspects. The open-source approach can be useful to solve current as well as future control-related problems, both in point-to-point links as well as in multiterminal and multivendor HVDC grids.