Report on final dissemination event WindEurope

On 13 September 2023, the READY4DC project consortium orchestrated the culminating dissemination event of the project. It unfolded in Vienna, amidst the CIGRE B4 Colloquium and virtually to optimize stakeholder participation. The event unfolded in tandem with InterOPERA’s inaugural dissemination event, given the synergy between the two projects. It aimed to showcase how READY4DC’s outcomes and undertakings contribute to InterOPERA’s endeavors.

The event’s goal was to unveil the key discoveries from the whitepapers of each Working Group (WG) within the project to a diverse audience of pertinent stakeholders. Simultaneously, it sought to raise awareness about the overall efforts and initiatives executed throughout the project’s lifespan. Moreover, the event aspired to guide discussions on the challenges of an interoperable, multi-vendor HVDC system. It also aimed to foster a community of experts who would formulate recommendations for an interoperable and expandable Direct Current (DC) grid in Europe. Participants seized the opportunity to exchange perspectives on the whitepapers’ findings and provide feedback before the reports’ finalization.

The specific objectives of the event were to:

• Update participants on the progress achieved by each WG;
• Engage experts from various sectors (e.g., High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology manufacturers, Transmission System Operators, the wind energy industry, policymakers, system integrators, other relevant technology providers, and academia) in discussions on interoperability, DC technology, and the future of the European grid;
• Present the findings of the four whitepapers published by the project Working Groups (WGs).

This report on the final dissemination event constitutes deliverable D5.6, as outlined in Work Package 5, Task 5.3. It encapsulates the discourse that unfolded during the event, commenting on stakeholder engagement, reflecting audience comments and questions, and suggesting how the discussion outcomes can benefit the READY4DC consortium and its WGs.

Participants in the final dissemination event of the READY4DC project engaged in a captivating and constructive discussion preceding the project’s closure. In-person and online participants exchanged views and posed questions to project experts. Project partners considered the valuable feedback and comments in finalizing the whitepapers.

The event was succeeded by InterOPERA’s inaugural dissemination event, laying the groundwork for the first real-life multi-vendor multi-terminal projects in Europe, building upon the groundwork and results of READY4DC.

The final READY4DC whitepapers are accessible on the project website:

• Whitepaper WG1: Modelling, Simulation Framework and Data Sharing for Multi-Terminal Multi-Vendor HVDC Interaction Studies
• Whitepaper WG2: Legal and Regulatory Aspects of a Multi-Vendor Multi-Terminal HVDC Grid
• Whitepaper WP3: Multi-vendor Interoperability Process and Demonstration Definition
• Whitepapers WP4
  • How to unlock investments for the first full-scale multivendor HVDC systems demonstration*
  • Long-term view for HVDC technology*
  • Framing the European energy system*

Additionally, the CIGRE B4 colloquium in Vienna served as a platform for networking among the EU projects READY4DC and InterOPERA with the CIGRE community. This networking has led to early plans for a combined “HVDC Interoperability” session between CIGRE B4 and InterOPERA during the CIGRE Session Paris in 2024, with several thousand guests expected. Such an event would further extend InterOPERA’s