Application of advanced power electronics in smart grid

The major driving forces to construct smart grid are to increase the reliability, efficiency and safety of the power gird. Advancement in power electronics technology provides an important approach for such purpose. The demand of smart grid for advanced power electronics is analyzed from different perspectives, followed by the outlook for the research and development trend of the power electronics technology in China. Then the principle of power electronics technology and its applications in smart grid is presented, with emphasis on the flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) and high voltage DC (HVDC) transmission system technologies. The paper points out the research priorities in the future.