Inter-oPEn Doctoral Candidate Emmanuel Sule has been awarded first prize at the CIGRE Belgium Next Generation Network (NGN) Presentation Competition. The annual CIGRE Belgium NGN Presentation Competition brings together young researchers and professionals from across the Belgian power systems community to showcase innovative ideas and recent research developments. This year’s event featured six selected presentations covering a range of topics relevant to future power systems and the electricity sector.
Representing the Inter-oPEn MSCA Doctoral Network, Emmanuel Sule (KU Leuven / EnergyVille / ETCH – Energy Transmission Competence Hub) presented his work entitled “How much reactor does an HVDC grid really need?”. The presentation explored reactor sizing requirements in HVDC grids, an important challenge in the development of efficient, reliable, and economically viable future transmission networks.
The presentation received the highest number of votes from both the expert jury and the audience, securing first place in the competition. This recognition highlights the relevance of the research being conducted within Inter-oPEn and its contribution to addressing key questions surrounding the integration and operation of next-generation power systems. The work was carried out in collaboration with Abolfazl Mohammadi, Geraint Chaffey, and Dirk Van Hertem, whose expertise and insights were instrumental to the research. The achievement reflects the strong collaborative environment fostered within both the Inter-oPEn network and the broader power systems research community.
The competition also showcased several outstanding contributions from young professionals and researchers, underscoring the high level of innovation currently emerging across the Belgian energy sector.
Inter-oPEn congratulates Emmanuel on this achievement and thanks the CIGRE Belgium NGN organisers for providing an excellent platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and professional development. We also congratulate all presenters and prize winners for their contributions to the event’s success.
As Europe continues its transition towards a carbon-neutral energy system, advances in HVDC technology and grid planning will play an increasingly important role. Achievements such as this demonstrate how the Inter-oPEn Doctoral Network is helping train the next generation of researchers equipped to tackle these challenges.