Oslo – Self-thinking grids and hybrid AC/DC grids have been identified as two new technologies likely to achieve widespread deployment over the next decade, with Europe well positioned to be the global frontrunner.
The predictions come from the international certification and risk management firm DNV GL, which recently presented its 10-year technology outlook for 2025.
The report foresees global capacity for renewable power generation doubling over the course of the next decade, with a rapid decline in the cost of power generated from solar and wind, making renewables “the safest investment choice”. The resulting energy landscape – a more consumer-centric hybrid of large and small scale elements – will require grid innovations for which European companies can take the lead.
Self-thinking grids have the ability to self-adjust to voltage variations, meaning they can take over part of the job of managing the power system. They will also help detect faults before they occur.
Hybrid grids allow for better control over power transmission by combining flexible AC and high-voltage DC (HVDC). This results in a more efficient use of the generated energy.
The report also presents the emergence of buildings as ‘energy hubs’, digitalisation and the exploitation of big data as key trends for the next decade. Click to read more from the report.