With all the rapid development in the PV Solar power, and base of the following major loads:
1- Air conditioning with inverter.
2- All electronic device.
3- fans. and more.
Did you believe that the world will go back to use DC voltage again? and what is the major problem? is it stepping up and down the voltage or there are more problems?
with the development in the renewable resources like solar, wind power, I think maybe utilized off-grid system instead of using the transmission lines and power system networks.
Did you believe that the world will go back to use DC voltage again?
Yes, but for limited applications such as shipboards, and special mobile systems.
What is the major problem? is it stepping up and down the voltage or there are more problems?
The DC-DC (buck, boost, and buck-boost) converters can handle efficiently and rapidly the required changes of the voltage in DC systems.
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The transmission system of long distances to reduce losses the system may be DC not for distribution.
Perhaps HVDC (high-voltage direct current) for long-distance transmission, its losses being quoted as less than 3% per 1,000 km.
Applications for domestic grids are already used in some places. In general, for distribution networks will not be so useful due the technical losses in short distances.
The War of the Currents fought by George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison that occurred over two centuries by the use of alternating current alternating current verses advocated by Nikola Tesla seems to have a new chapter with emerging technologies of transmission in HVDC, photovoltaic production, electric cars, ....
In my opinion, there will always be room for both.
I strongly believe that, only concern for now is switch gear equipment not upto that level for safe DC usage (for transmission purpose especially). However research at its record pace is on its way for its extensive useage, may be in near future we might see it for some specific applications.
I would agree with your respondents. The "war of the currents" was "fought" in a world where there were no semiconductors or any other device easily and efficiently capable of transforming between DC and AC.That doesn't apply any more. However the investment in 50/60 Hz infrastructure means that there isn't going to be a change any time soon. I see the major issue as power switching - it isn't easy to make a circuit breaker to break kilovolts at kiloamps at DC while at AC it is not a major problem. But it is easy to make circuit breakers at the kilowatt level. I don't include semiconductor breakers - their failure mode is too uncertain. A breaker that failed ON is not an option!
with the development in the renewable resources like solar, wind power, I think maybe utilized off-grid system instead of using the transmission lines and power system networks.
So it would seem that we should use DC in small to medium sized buildings, AC for area distribution of power (up to 500 km say, and up to 1 GW) and DC for long distance transmission of high power (over 500 km and over 2 GW). As long as conversion between DC and AC in either direction is reliable and inexpensive, the above would appear to offer the most practical way of managing power in the future.
Nice discussion, I will share some thoughts.
Overall, Power Electronics is a key player that changes the old currents war scenario. DC power conversion technologies, which also allows DC-transformer operation, will be part of future distribution grids. However, I do not think this imply any sudden removal of ac power conversion technologies. Coexistence of ac and dc technologies, and enabling technologies to interface both worlds, will be a reality, I think/hope.
It is a Challenge......I don't believe that for all the world, maybe for some cities!
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