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Increased demand for electricity requires new solutions and innovations

Ilka Jahn, Associate Professor in Electric Power Engineering at KTH Royal Institute of Technology..
Measuring voltage in a modular multilevel converter prototype. (Photo: Emelie Smedslund)
Published Jan 08, 2025

The Swedish electricity system is changing. Electricity is now being produced in places where there have traditionally been no power lines, such as wind farms or offshore wind power. Consumption is also occurring in new locations, and new solutions and innovations are needed to avoid building an entirely new electricity grid.

"Looking at how electricity flows today compared to when the electricity system was built, you can see big changes. We have also built our electricity networks based on how society looked when the electricity networks were built. If we are to meet the development of society without rebuilding the entire network, great demands are placed on innovation and new thinking, and this is where KTH has an important role to play," says Lars Nordström, Professor of Information Systems for Power System Control at KTH.

At KTH Royal Institute of Technology, several research projects are underway to secure the electricity supply as demand increases and electricity is generated in new locations. These include lines for high-voltage direct current (HVDC), which can transmit much energy over long distances. The first line from the mainland to Gotland was built as early as 1954, and today, many such lines are running between Sweden and other countries, but they are not connected in a network. 

HVDC technology is identified as an enabler for integrating renewable energy, especially when it comes to offshore wind turbines that need to be connected to the existing electricity grid. But this also requires the technology to expand beyond today's HVDC lines that run between two points, instead having a more interconnected multi-terminal network. 

HVDC technology is vital for Sweden

At KTH, research is being conducted on everything from the semiconductors in HVDC networks to control and protection software. HVDC is a fast technology that allows you to do many different things with the software, such as flexible power transmission and fast fault detection. Better software is also more energy efficient and lowers the cost of the grid. Using today's existing lines to connect HVDC links to a grid is impossible, but new interconnected lines are needed. 

"You want to be flexible and be able to connect different parts to a network. In my research, I look at flexible software and its protection against short circuits. For example, if an anchor hits a wire on the seabed today, disconnect it. If you have a network, you don't want to disconnect the whole network, but only the hit part," says Ilka Jahn, Associate Professor in Electric Power Engineering at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. 

There is no doubt that HVDC technology is extremely important for Swedish industry. Last year, Hitachi Energy (formerly ABB) signed the largest export order in Sweden's history, worth around 13 billion euros, for its HVDC systems. 

Lack of staff at different levels

KTH collaborates with both Hitachi Energy, Svenska kraftnät and several other players in the industry. The Department of Electric Power Engineering at KTH is the largest in the Nordic region involved in this type of HVDC research. Today, there is a shortage of staff at all different levels, and researchers, technicians, and installers are needed. And there is a great need for industry expertise. 

"If you want to contribute to the energy supply of the future and are considering applying for a programme, I would recommend applying for a master's degree in electric power engineering," says Ilka Jahn.  

Text: Emelie Smedslund ( emeliesm@kth.se )

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