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Historically, the transfer of electricity between regions of the United States has been over high voltage alternating
current (AC) transmission lines, which means that both the voltage and the current on these lines move in a wavelike pattern along the lines and are continually changing direction. In North America, this change in direction occurs
60 times per second (defined as 60 hertz [Hz]). The electric power transmitted over AC transmission lines is exactly
the same as the power we use every day from AC outlets, but at a much higher voltage.
Unlike an AC transmission line, the voltage and current on a direct current (DC) transmission line are not time
varying, meaning they do not change direction as energy is transmitted. DC electricity is the constant, zerofrequency movement of electrons from an area of negative (-) charge to an area of positive (+) charge.
The first commercial electric power system built by Thomas Edison in the late nineteenth century carried DC
electricity, but given some early advantages, AC power eventually became the primary power system in the United
States. Some of these advantages are no longer applicable (e.g., technology has advanced to allow efficient
conversion from AC to DC), and DC transmission is the preferred solution for moving large amounts of renewable
power over long distances.
Clean Lines HVDC transmission lines projects will deliver power from new, renewable energy resources. These
resources will be AC generators, as is normally the case, and their energy will be transmitted along collector lines.
These collector lines will then be connected to a substation where the power will be collected and the voltage will be
transformed from the voltage of the collector lines to a common voltage (such as 345,000 volts). The power will
then be converted to DC, a process known as rectification, using power electronic switches called thyristors. The
power will then be transmitted several hundred miles along a set of conductors called a transmission line before
getting converted back to AC, a process known as inversion, again using thyristors as the switching devices. After
the DC power is converted back to AC it is transformed to the common voltage of the grid to which it is being
connected (e.g. 500,000 volts or 765,000 volts, in the case of Clean Lines projects). This power is then distributed
via the interconnected grid by the local utilities to homes and businesses. See below for an illustration of this
process.
History of HVDC
environmental advantages when transporting power across long distances, where there has been a veritable boom in the use of
DC to tap energy resources in remote portions of the country and bring the energy to consumers in more heavily populated
areas. Among those direct current lines is the Pacific DC Intertie, which has been in operation for over 30 years. Operating at
500 kilovolts, the line is capable of transmitting up to 3,100 MW of power. In terms of operating voltage and capacity, the
Pacific Intertie is similar to the Clean Line transmission line projects, which will operate at 600 kilovolts and deliver up to 3,500
MW of power.
Currently there are more than 20 DC transmission facilities in the United States and more than 35 across the North American
grid as indicated in the map below.
projects will deliver thousands of megawatts of renewable energy from the windiest and solar-rich areas of the United States to
communities and cities that lack access to new, low-cost, clean power.
Enlarge
Most renewable energy comes either directly or indirectly from the sun. Solar energy
can be used for generating electricity, and for hot water heating and solar cooling. Solar energy is produced when the sun is
shining during the day and is complementary to wind energy, which tends to reach its highest production at night.
Photovoltaic Solar
Photovoltaic solar technology uses photovoltaic cells (PV) to convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV cells are made of
semiconductors and can provide large amounts of power for the electric grid.
Watch this video by the Department of Energy on solar photovoltaic systems.