HVDC
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Energy
| Stands for | High-voltage direct current |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
HVDC stands for High-voltage direct current, an energy abbreviation.
Electric power transmission using direct current at hundreds of thousands to over a million volts. HVDC loses less energy than alternating current over long distances and is preferred for long overhead lines, undersea cables and links between unsynchronized grids.
Example: The 765-kilometer Viking Link HVDC cable connects the electricity grids of Britain and Denmark.
Usage notes
The first commercial HVDC link connected the Swedish island of Gotland to the mainland in 1954. China's Changji-Guquan line operates at 1,100 kilovolts over more than 3,000 kilometers. Converter stations are costly, so HVDC generally pays off for overhead lines longer than several hundred kilometers or for cables more than a few dozen kilometers.
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