The HVDC-WISE project has concluded after four years, marking the end of a major European research effort focused on supporting the development of reliable and resilient high voltage direct current, or HVDC, grid architectures across Europe and the United Kingdom.
Supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme and UK Research and Innovation, HVDC-WISE brought together leading partners to explore how future HVDC transmission systems can support renewable integration, strengthen grid resilience and help Europe transition toward a more flexible, low-carbon power system.
Over the course of the project, HVDC-WISE developed a set of tools, models, methodologies and recommendations to support future HVDC grid development. These outputs were designed to help decisionmakers assess the performance of future power systems under both standard and extreme conditions, while supporting more coordinated planning and operation of hybrid AC/DC grids.
Reflecting on the project’s results and their importance for Europe’s evolving transmission system, Juan Carlos Gonzalez, HVDC-WISE Project Coordinator, said, “HVDC-WISE has explored how high-voltage direct current technology can become an integral part of a reliable and resilient European transmission system. Through collaboration across Europe, the project has developed practical tools, models and recommendations to support the transition from individual HVDC links to integrated offshore and onshore grids.
“Our recommendations highlight priorities including model standardisation, tool development and grid regulation, providing a foundation for further research, future HVDC deployment and the integration of more renewable energy across Europe.”
A key achievement of HVDC-WISE was the development of innovative hybrid AC/DC grid architecture concepts, combining topology, technologies and advanced control and protection approaches with a reliability and resilience-oriented planning toolset, an open library of HVDC models and methods for standardised data exchange. The project tested these solutions through realistic European use cases, including continental Europe, where HVDC systems can reinforce an already highly interconnected AC network; Great Britain, where different HVDC designs can support stability, flexibility and resilience in a smaller synchronous system undergoing rapid decarbonisation; and the North Sea, where future multipurpose offshore grids could connect offshore wind and enable electricity trade between countries.
The project helped bridge research and practical application by analysing HVDC architectures through advanced simulation tools and industrially relevant Hardware-in-the-Loop test environments, supporting more reliable and resilient future grid solutions. Its findings highlighted the need for stronger AC/DC coordination, model standardisation, data accessibility and grid regulation development as HVDC technologies shift from individual assets to integrated grid architectures.
As electricity networks evolve to accommodate greater levels of renewable generation, HVDC-WISE has delivered practical evidence, methodologies and recommendations to help the power industry plan, design and operate future hybrid AC/DC grids.
On the project’s practical value to the power industry, Colin Foote, Senior Engineer at The National HVDC Centre, said, “For The National HVDC Centre, the project has strengthened our ability to assess emerging HVDC technologies and their real-world applications. It has also generated valuable knowledge that can be shared across the wider industry, supporting a secure, resilient and cost-effective energy transition.”
The project’s results point to the potential for HVDC technologies to support greater transmission capacity, improved renewable energy integration, reduced losses and stronger energy trading across Europe and the United Kingdom, while its open tools, shared knowledge and evidence-based recommendations provide a foundation for stakeholders designing, planning and operating the hybrid AC/DC transmission systems needed for Europe’s clean energy future.
To learn more about the project: Visit the HVDC-WISE website
