The transition towards a low carbon economy requests a deep change within the energy industry infrastructure and the power grids. The conventional technologies are in fact not fully prepared to face this challenge and have limited impact in terms of results and capabilities.
The SSTAR project built on Solid-State Transformers (SSTs), a promising and innovative technology, and worked to increase their operational voltage level in order to expand their range of applications while supporting a more sustainable energy sector.
The developed innovations were tested in two certified laboratories located in Spain and Portugal.
A new biobased dielectric fluid was developed to increase the insulation voltage of SST modules.
Result achieved: Thanks to the natural origin of the raw materials, the developed fluids are biodegradable and enable up to 50% CO₂ savings compared to traditional mineral oils.
New SST modules based on SiC (Silicon Carbide) semiconductors with a bidirectional inductive power transfer system were designed, developed and tested to increase individual voltage levels.
Results achieved: Improved isolation between high- and low-voltage sides; increased module operating voltage up to 1.5 kV; reduced total number of modules required.
A decentralized control cascade H-Bridge (CHB) converter was implemented to scale up the number of modules within a single SST device, enabling a more compact system with high performance.
Result achieved: Successful scalability of the SST architecture while maintaining high performance and reduced system size.
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework was applied to support the sustainable development of the new generation of HV SSTs by quantifying environmental, economic and social impacts.
Results achieved: demonstrated low environmental impact across the SST lifecycle; quantified CO₂ reduction potential; promoted the use of non-hazardous, recyclable and longer-lifetime raw materials from production to decommissioning.
The project identified and analysed the SSTAR applications with the highest replication potential for supporting the energy transition beyond energy distribution systems, including the main technical barriers.
Results achieved: Key sectors for solution uptake were identified, including e-mobility, energy production and energy storage applications.
The main beneficiaries of the SSTAR results were the energy sector and, in particular, electricity distribution and transmission grids. The developed technology supports increased penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) while ensuring safe and reliable grid operation.
SSTAR solutions contributed to the decarbonisation of the energy sector, supporting the transition towards a greenhouse-gas-neutral EU economy. A comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study was carried out to quantify the environmental benefits of the developed solutions.
SSTAR successfully combined multiple engineering disciplines, including mechanical, thermal, electromagnetic and electronic engineering, as well as computer science, to develop SST solutions for high-voltage grids.
SSTAR created synergies between the electric and biorefinery sectors, achieving an intersectoral approach through the integration of bioeconomy practices into the energy sector.
SSTAR performed Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) analyses, supporting future market uptake and social acceptance of the developed solutions while enabling the expansion of application sectors beyond power grids and strengthening related business cases.