DOE's Office of Electricity and WETO plan to issue the REIMAGINE BREAKERS NOFO to support research and development related to high voltage direct current (HVDC) power circuit breakers.
Wind Energy Technologies Office
December 12, 2024
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**Note: The Office of Electricity has additional funding opportunities. For more information, see the full announcement.
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE) and Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) announced funding for research and development (R&D) projects focused on high-voltage direct current power circuit breakers (HV DCCBs). High-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology is crucial to efficiently move large amounts of renewable energy, like wind, over long distances with minimal power loss.
HVDC is a key technology that can increase the electric grid’s capacity to receive, transmit, and deliver a large amount of energy from generation sources like wind, and it can be more efficient and reliable compared to today’s existing solutions. HVDC lines can also lead to improved grid integration of renewables as well as long-distance electricity transmission to population centers.
This $8 million funding opportunity ($7 million from OE, $1 million from WETO) aims to fill a critical gap in HVDC system protection by developing technical standards and exploring innovative ways to make HV DCCB technology more cost-effective and efficient. Advancing HVDC systems helps connect more renewable energy to the grid, supporting a more affordable and reliable energy future.
For more information, view the full funding opportunity.