As part of the Inter-oPEn project, we, Abdolhamid Farshadi (TUBS) and Tuanku Badzlin Hashfi (TU DELFT), had the opportunity to participate in the 16th IEEE PowerTech Conference 2025, held in Kiel, Germany, from June 29 to July 3, 2025.
We had the pleasure of attending several insightful panel discussions and technical sessions on cutting-edge topics in power systems, including DC grid protection, methods for the analysis of future hybrid AC/DC systems, challenges and solutions in energy system transformation, and the integration of large-scale electrolyzers and energy storage in transmission systems. These sessions provided us with valuable exposure to current trends and future challenges in the evolving landscape of HVDC grids and renewable energy integration.
In addition, as part of the technical session “Advanced Power Electronics and Control,” Tuanku Badzlin Hashfi presented his paper titled “Internal Power Flow Control for Modular Multilevel Converter During Submodule Failure”*. The paper focuses on enhancing submodule fault tolerance in Modular Multilevel Converters (MMCs), a crucial factor in ensuring reliability and continuous operation of HVDC applications. The work introduces a hybrid control strategy combining proportional internal control and proportional-resonant control to eliminate circulating current components and ensure pure DC current within the internal MMC. This approach improves the overall reliability of the converter, making it more resilient to submodule failure and ensuring stable power delivery.
Beyond the technical sessions, the conference also provided a valuable opportunity to meet and connect with both academic and industry experts. We had many engaging conversations, exchanged ideas, and gained new insights, particularly around the evolving landscape of HVDC systems, which is central to both our research interests.
More details on the IEEE PowerTech 2025 Conference are available at: https://2025.ieee-powertech.org
Written by Abdolhamid Farshadi and Tuanku Badzlin Hashfi
*The paper “Internal Power Flow Control for Modular Multilevel Converter During Submodule Failure” was created within the framework of the MSCA DN project “Inter-oPEn”. The project has received funding from the European Union under grant agreement no. 101119349. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or REA. Neither the European Union nor the REA can be held responsible for them.