Australian Panel B4 - HVDC and Power Electronics
The Australian Panel (AP) B4 covers the topics of High Voltage Direct current (HVDC), Static VAR Compensators (SVCs) and other power electronic applications in the transmission network. In recent years Australia and New Zealand have been at the forefront of the adoption and implementation of new technologies in these areas, and the AP B4 panel provides an opportunity for our experiences to be shared with the global Cigré community.
AP B4 members continue to contribute and participate in SC B4 activities, with members on seven Cigré working groups and one advisory group. This year, AP-B4 had one paper accepted for the Cigré 2014 Session to be held in Paris in August on the Pole 3 HVDC project in New Zealand. Two SC B4 working groups created in 2013 are convened by AP B4 members:
- WG B4.62 - Connection of Wind Farms to Weak AC networks – to identify the power electronic equipment related issues anticipated in connecting the wind farms to weak AC networks, the underlying causes and possible solutions. The target completion for the technical brochure is end of 2015.
- WG B4.63 - Commissioning of VSC HVDC Schemes - to develop a technical brochure which provides guidelines for the commissioning of Voltage Sourced Converter (VSC) HVDC projects, scheduled for completion in late 2015.
AP B4 is planning its annual meeting in Tasmania in October 2014. In addition, given that a number of TNSPs in Australia are presently undertaking or planning to undertake refurbishment of ageing SVCs in their networks, AP B4 is planning to hold one day workshop on this subject in late 2014 or early 2015.