Smart grid functionality for the high-voltage transmission grid: On the market readiness of Digital Substation 2.0 technology

The energy challenges the world is facing will fundamentally change the electricity supply infrastructure. The basic architecture of the primary grids has been developed to meet the needs of large and predominantly carbon-based or nuclear generation technologies. The transition towards a more sustainable electricity supply requires a flexible and smarter power infrastructure, prepared to cope with the massive growth of renewable generation and the correlated higher complexity and dynamics. As most smart grid initiatives today only cover the low and medium voltage levels, the present contribution highlights the technological advancements taking place in the field of high voltage transmission. The described Digital Substation 2.0 concept represents a smart grid enabling technology necessary for a power infrastructure based on bulk renewable infeed.