The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $11 million in funding for four key high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission projects aimed at improving energy transmission efficiency and affordability. This funding, through the Innovative DEsigns for high-performAnce Low-cost HVDC Converters (IDEAL HVDC) initiative, seeks to reduce HVDC transmission costs by 35% by 2035, enabling cost-effective integration of renewable energy sources.

The DOE's Office of Electricity (OE) and Office of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (EERE) are jointly supporting these projects, with OE contributing $8.1 million and EERE providing $3 million. This initiative aims to modernize the U.S. power grid, making renewable energy more accessible and reliable nationwide.

"This represents another step forward in our mission to modernize the nation's electric grid," said Gene Rodrigues, Assistant Secretary for Electricity. Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for EERE, added, "A modern grid requires a transmission network that can offer access to a diverse range of clean energy resources across geographic regions."

Selected projects include: GE Vernova Advanced Research, Sandia National Laboratories, University of Pittsburgh, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. These projects will develop advanced HVDC converter technologies to reduce lifecycle costs, improve power density, and use artificial intelligence to optimize designs.

The IDEAL HVDC initiative is part of the DOE's HVDC COst REduction (CORE) Initiative, designed to improve grid resilience, security, and operational flexibility across the U.S.