Overview of the Development of Direct Current Transmission Technology

Under the ‘carbon peaking and carbon neutrality’ target, the construction of clean energy bases has made it an urgent demand for long-distance, high-capacity, and low-loss electricity transmission. After more than half a century of alternating current (AC) dominating the power system, the development of power electronics technology has allowed high-voltage direct current systems (HVDC) to solve the technical challenges of integrating large-capacity new energy sources into the grid. This has allowed direct current (DC) to once again take the center stage in history and gradually become an indispensable component of new type power systems. This article reviews the historical development of global DC transmission technology, summarizes the development history and current status of second-generation and third-generation DC transmission technology in China, and provides prospects for the future development of HVDC transmission technology,