[analog31]

The early limit was because high voltage DC required producing it at the generator, whereas you could produce high voltage AC by generating at a lower voltage and then stepping it up with a transformer for long distance transmission.

The rules are changing because of switchmode voltage conversion, using transistors to switch the voltage at a high frequency, where the magnetics (transformers, inductors) can be much smaller and more efficient, then converting back to DC. This is how virtually all smaller power supplies have been made for years, the only question (which I don't know) being how far along we are at reaching the voltage levels of long distance transmission in this way.

I'd think that hustling us towards DC with electronic voltage conversion would be a reasonable strategic goal for dealing with the transformer problem, worthy of support by a government.

[angry_octet]

HVDC and UHVDC are used extensively for long distance transmission, notably for undersea cables and in China, which has made massive R&D investments in the technology in order to shift energy from West to East. Large solar, wind and hydro in the West.

However, DC does not make sense for a radial power distribution network. The article is propagating nonsense.

[analog31]

>>> However, DC does not make sense for a radial power distribution network.

Why not? Pure geeky curiosity.

[VgsIndustries]

Virtually all HVDC transmission currently operating is point to point mostly for control reasons. My understanding is it's very difficult to coordinate multiple converter stations - power flow in DC networks is fully determined by the control systems of the converters unlike AC networks which in general lack active control devices (see the FACTS family of devices for examples that can be used in AC networks to actively control power flow).

[lmpdev]

Not an expert but every node in an UHVDC network would need expensive equipment

Point to point is just two nodes, but scaling that outward would be very expensive

AC transmission is relatively cheap in comparison

[angry_octet]

Huge installed base of network elements, minimal efficiency improvements. Much better to invest in switch mode frequency stabilisation with batteries and soft open points (SOPs), which balance load between phases and distributors without needing a radial reconfiguration.

Radial DC is anachronistic thinking based on misunderstandings perpetuated by C-suite level just so stories like this Bloomberg nonsense.