Dirk Van Hertem
Kasteelpark Arenberg 10
- box
2445
3001 Leuven
Belgium
tel: +32 16 32 10 20
fax: +32 16 32 19 85
contact
3001 Leuven
Belgium
tel: +32 16 32 10 20
fax: +32 16 32 19 85
contact
Dirk Van Hertem graduated as a M.Eng. in 2001 from the KHK, Geel, Belgium and as a M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the KU Leuven, Belgium in 2003. In 2009, he has obtained his PhD, also from the KU Leuven. In 2010, Dirk Van Hertem was a member of EPS group at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), in Stockholm. Since spring 2011 he is back at the University of Leuven where he is currently professor and member of the ELECTA division. His special fields of interest are decision support for grid operators, power system operation and control in systems with FACTS and HVDC and building the transmission system of the future, including offshore grids and the supergrid concept. The research activities of Prof. Van Hertem are all part of the EnergyVille research center, where he leads the Electrical Networks activities. Dr. Van Hertem is an active member of both IEEE (PES and IAS) and Cigré.
Research
My research focusses on power system planning, operation and control. More specifically I am interested in four components:
- Building and operating the transmission system of the future, including HVDC and HVDC grids
- A cost-effective reliable energy supply
- Large scale integration of renewables
- Tools to aid grid operators in their decision taking process
The research activities of Prof. Van Hertem are all part of the EnergyVille research center, where he leads the Electrical Networks activities. In particular, he coordinates the Towards HVDC grids roadmap and the Decision support for grid operators roadmap.
HVDC Grids book
Together with my colleagues Oriol Gomis-Bellmunt from UPC Barcelona and Jun Liang from Cardiff University, we edited the first book fully dedicated to the entire value stream of HVDC grids. The book is titled HVDC GRIDS: for offshore and supergrid of the future, and is a collaborative work of our research groups in Leuven, Barcelona and Cardiff.
Research team
Post-doctoral researchers and research experts
- Hakan Ergun
- Willem Leterme
- Geraint Chaffey
- Li Yang (part-time)
- Umar Hashmi
- Mudar Abedrabbo
- Marta Vanin
- Arpan Koirala
PhD students / Research assistants
- Firew Zerihun Dejene
- Rick Loenders
- Stephen Hardy
- Vaishally Bhardwaj
- Abhimanyu Kaushal
- Arnaud Robert
- Chandra Kant Jat
- Tamas Borbath
- Joachim Vermunicht
- Simon Nagels
- Sadegh Mousavi Shoushtari
- Sari Kerkhove
- Mohamed El-Jafoufi
- Amirreza Jafari Anarjan
- Giacomo Bastianel
- Oscar Aristo Damanik
- Mohammad Heidari
- Xiaoxiao Liu
- Hryhorii Bilan
- Kaan Jurtseven
- Juan Camilo Castaño
- Merijn Van Deyck
- Arman Zarrin
Vacancies
There are currently some positions (both phd and post-doc) within the field of decision support for grid operators and HVDC grids.
You can find them on the KU Leuven job site or you can drop me a line, although you might not receive an immediate response.
Teaching
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Electrical drives; Advanced topics in electrical machines, including implementation aspects (together with prof. Johan Driesen)
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Design and management of electrical power systems (together with prof. Markus Berger)
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Flexible electrical power systems (together with prof. Jef Beerten)
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P&D power systems and automation (together with prof. Jef Beerten)
Publications (2018-now)
The full list of publications can be found on the lirias server.
My google scholar profile you can find on google scholar and my Orcid nr is 0000-0001-5461-8891.
A selection (the last 5 years) can be found below.
Research projects
Promotor
- Resilient power systems based on HVDC transmission flexibility (10/10/2023 - 10/10/2027)
- Data-Driven System Identification for Low Voltage Distribution Networks: Towards Accurate Digital Twin Models (03/10/2023 - 03/10/2027)
- Improving Grid Hosting Capacity in the Electrification Process by combining Smart EV Applications and Interactive Building Management systems-IMPROCAP (01/09/2023 - 31/08/2027)
- DC Protection, Security, Control and Optimisation (01/08/2023 - 31/07/2025)
- Power Grid Security Enhancement Via Distribution Grids Flexibility (14/12/2022 - 14/12/2026)
- DIRECTIONS Design, protection and control of offshore direct current networks and energy nodes (01/11/2022 - 31/10/2025)
- PhRACTALS – Post-Hazard power system Restoration And Control Through Advanced Learning Systems (01/10/2022 - 30/09/2024)
- Accelerating the Deployment of Offshore wind using Dc technology (01/10/2022 - 30/09/2026)
- Reliable design and operation of multi-GW offshore energy hubs considering uncertainty and grid contingencies (30/09/2022 - 30/09/2026)
- Development of a Protection Design Methodology for HVDC Grids and Energy Hubs (08/09/2022 - 08/09/2026)
- Multi-stakeholder and sustainable expansion of the Ecuadorian Transmission Power System (01/09/2022 - 31/08/2024)
- Control algorithms for flexibility in power-to-X and industrial processes-2 (01/09/2022 - 28/02/2025)
- Data driven optimization models for secure real-time operation of renewable dominated power systems (06/07/2022 - 06/07/2026)
- Decision support tools for grid operators (06/07/2022 - 06/07/2026)
- HVDC based grids, a grid-Of-grids approach for a ResIlient and optimiZed RES based pOwer system Network. (01/07/2022 - 30/06/2024)
- Protection System and HVDC Converter Control Interaction in Renewable Energy Dominated Power Systems (15/03/2022 - 14/03/2026)
- Protection System and HVDC Converter Control Interaction in Renewable Energy Dominated Power Systems (11/03/2022 - 11/03/2026)
- Fast and accurate cable fault localization using sensors integrated into cable ends and/or joints (14/02/2022 - 14/02/2026)
- Data driven optimization models for secure real-time operation of renewable dominated power systems (DISCRETE). (01/11/2021 - 30/04/2026)
- Coordinated planning and operation of resilient offshore grids (15/10/2021 - 15/10/2025)
- PhD researcher: security of supply and cybersecurity of the electric grid (08/09/2021 - 08/09/2025)
- HVDC based grids: A Grid-of-Grids approach to enable a resilient RES based power system (01/07/2021 - 31/12/2021)
- HVDC Grids - A Grids-Of-Grids apprOach (15/05/2021 - 14/05/2023)
- Development of the toolset for future control room for HVDC (16/03/2021 - 16/03/2025)
- Optimal reconfiguration algorithms for low voltage distribution networks (10/02/2021 - 31/10/2025)
- Cyber-Physical Risk of the bulk Electric Energy Supply System (CYPRESS) (01/11/2020 - 31/10/2025)
- Market enabling interface to unlock flexibility solutions for cost-effective management of smarter distribution grids. (01/02/2020 - 30/11/2023)
- Multi-period transmission system planning for HVDC and storage investments (30/09/2019 - 30/09/2023)
- Grid Aspects of Power System Adequacy (04/09/2019 - 04/09/2023)
- Energy grid and power markets (12/04/2019 - 12/04/2023)
- Stochastic Hosting Capacity of Low Voltage Distribution Systems Using Polynomial Chaos Expansion (12/11/2018 - 16/01/2023)
- Ancillary services from HVDC grid elements in a hybrid AC/DC power systems (05/11/2018 - 05/11/2022)
- Cost Effective Expansion Planning: Mathematical Optimization Models to support Large Scale Offshore Wind Deployment (18/06/2018 - 14/06/2023)
- Flexible operation of HVDC links and HVDC grids (15/06/2018 - 15/06/2022)
- Distribution System State Estimation: Monitoring and Characterization of Active Distribution Networks (31/05/2018 - 06/12/2022)
- Pan-European system with an efficient coordinated use of flexibilities for the integration of a large share of RES (01/11/2017 - 31/10/2021)
- Innovative tools for offshore wind and DC grids (01/09/2017 - 31/12/2021)
- DC Grid Protection Aware Planning of Offshore HVDC Grids (03/04/2017 - 30/05/2022)
- Modeling and Control of VSC HVDC Converters for HVDC Grid Protection Applications (01/08/2016 - 01/08/2020)
Co-promotor
- MIRA-ESTE: specific, innovative microgrids solutions (accounting for environmental, social, technological and economic aspects) for isolated rural areas of Ecuador (01/01/2020 - 31/08/2022)
- Maintaining the balance in the Belgian electricity system with maximum use of renewable energy sources through a grid injection limit algorithm and optimal battery placement(BREGILAB) (01/10/2018 - 30/09/2022)
- EPOC 2030-2050 (01/10/2018 - 31/05/2023)
- Energy Modeling Toolbox for Policy Decision Support. (01/01/2018 - 31/12/2021)
- Sustainable Energy and intelligent Energy Systems (19/08/2013 - 31/12/2024)
query=user:U0043846 year:[2018 TO 2023] &institution=lirias&from=1&step=20&sort=scdate
showing 1 to 20 of 168
Type
all | articles | presentations | conferences | chapters | other | reports | phd theses | book reviews | books | outreach | edited books
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Ergun, Hakan; Bastianel, Giacomo; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Quantifying benefits of power flow control through HVDC under network Contingencies.
Cigre B4 Colloquium 2023; 2023; pp. 1 - 10
Publisher: Cigre
LIRIAS4121140
description
Published -
Jat, Chandra Kant; Dave, Jaykumar; Van Hertem, Dirk; Ergun, Hakan;
2023.
Hybrid AC/DC OPF Model for Unbalanced Operation of Bipolar HVDC Grids.
Ieee Transactions On Power Systems; 2023; pp. 1 - 11
LIRIAS4120391
description
Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Published online -
Vermunicht, Joachim; Leterme, Willem; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Analysing the Performance of Incremental Quantity based Directional Time-Domain Protection near HVAC Cables and VSC HVDC Converters.
Electric Power Systems Research; 2023; Vol. 223; pp.
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LIRIAS4089260
description
New grid elements such as Voltage Source Converters (VSC) and cables are being increasingly used in today’s power grid. These new grid elements behave differently compared to synchronous machines and overhead lines during transients and faults, impacting the present system’s legacy protection. An increased share of underground cables affects the system’s resonance frequencies whereas VSCs introduce actively controlled current phase shifts during short-circuit faults. Existing research mainly focuses on VSC impacts on phasor-based legacy protection. This paper studies the impact of these new grid elements on incremental quantity-based directional protection, which operates in the time domain, using EMT-type models and hardware experiments. First, cables introduce low frequency oscillations for remote, single phase faults and additionally under weak grid conditions. At low frequencies, these oscillations are not filtered out by the protection, which may result in a decrease of dependability margin (23% of the tested cases) and potential security issues. For the majority of studied cases, the relays worked correctly. Second, fast reactive current injection by a VSC can cause malfunction of incremental quantity protection. Malfunction occurred in 1 case and a decrease of dependability in 10% of the tested cases. This is especially problematic for grids with relatively low synchronous infeed.
Publisher: Elsevier
Published -
mediaVan Hertem, Dirk; Beerten, Jef; Ergun, Hakan; 2023. Expert Talk: EnergyVille is actively supporting Belgium's pivotal role in the North Sea. keyboard_arrow_downLIRIAS4117705
description
elgium is a pioneer in offshore wind farm development and its seamless integration into the European power grid. This commitment is exemplified through the 'North Sea Energy Plan for the Transition to Sustainable Wind Energy' (NEPTUNE-project), a blueprint shaping the future of renewable energy in the North Sea. EnergyVille experts, including Professors Dirk van Hertem and Jef Beerten, along with Dr. Hakan Ergun, shed light on how the NEPTUNE project continues to advance Neptune's legacy.
Published online -
Vanin, Marta; Ergun, Hakan; D'hulst, Reinhilde; Vanthournout, Koen; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Analysis and insights from reactive power measurements of low voltage users.
27th International Conference on Electricity Distribution (CIRED 2023); 2023; pp.
Publisher: The institution of engineering and technology (IET)
LIRIAS4117969
description
Published -
Geth, Frederik; Vanin, Marta; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Data quality challenges in existing distribution network datasets.
27th International Conference on Electricity Distribution (CIRED 2023); 2023; pp. 2421 - 2425
Publisher: IEEE
LIRIAS4117973
description
Published -
journal-articleVermunicht, Joachim; Loenders, Rick; Nagels, Simon; Leterme, Willem; De Kerf, Kenny; Charels, Nils; Moors, Cédric; Distance protection in the vicinity of VSC: present Belgian situation and outlook. CIGRE Science & Engineering; 2023LIRIAS4111146
description
Publisher: CIGRE International Council on Large Electric Systems
Accepted -
Vanin, Marta; Geth, Frederik; D'hulst, Reinhilde; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Combined unbalanced distribution system state and line impedance matrix estimation.
International Journal Of Electrical Power & Energy Systems; 2023; Vol. 151; pp.
LIRIAS4086345
description
Publisher: Elsevier
Accepted -
Marquecho, Edgar G; Torres, Santiago P; Astudillo-Salinas, Fabian; Ergun, Hakan; Van Hertem, Dirk; Castro, Carlos A; Blum, Christian;
2023.
Comparison of an Improved Metaheuristic and Mathematical Optimization Based Methods to Solve the Static AC TNEP Problem.
Ieee Transactions On Power Systems; 2023; pp. 1 - 17
LIRIAS4102594
description
Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Published online -
Bhardwaj, Vaishally; Ergun, Hakan; Heylen, Evelyn; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
A three-stage SCOPF considering fast converter control and generator droop.
Electric Power Systems Research; 2023; Vol. 221; pp.
LIRIAS4080753
description
Publisher: Elsevier
Published online -
Morquecho, Edgar G; Torres, Santiago P; Astudillo - Salinas, Fabian; Castro, Carlos A; Ergun, Hakan; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Security constrained AC dynamic transmission expansion planning considering reactive power requirements.
Electric Power Systems Research; 2023; Vol. 221; pp.
LIRIAS4081902
description
Publisher: Elsevier
Published online -
Kaushal, Abhimanyu; Mirowski, Artur; Skwarski, Mateusz; Wasilewski, Jacek; Ergun, Hakan; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Reactive power management: Comparison of expert-based and optimization-based approaches for dispatcher training.
Iet Generation Transmission & Distribution; 2023; Vol. 17; iss. 17; pp. 1 - 12
LIRIAS4096979
description
Publisher: Wiley
Published online -
Hashmi, Md Umar; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Robust dynamic operating envelopes for flexibility operation using only local voltage measurement.
IEEE; 2023
LIRIAS4092734
description
Accepted -
Hardy, Stephen; Themelis, Andreas; Yamamoto, Kaoru; Ergun, Hakan; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Optimal Grid Layouts for Hybrid Offshore Assets in the North Sea under Different Market Designs.
IEEE Transactions on Energy Markets, Policy and Regulation; 2023; pp. 1 - 12
LIRIAS4099539
description
Publisher: IEEE
Published online -
Hardy, Stephen David William;
2023.
Cost Effective Expansion Planning: Mathematical Optimization Models to support Large Scale Offshore Wind Deployment.
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LIRIAS4082127
description
Reduce CAPEX and OPEX through the optimization of the collector platforms, substations and transport cables considering multiple wind farms from a systems perspective. The formulation of the optimization problem focuses on reducing equipment and platform weight and volume as well as minimizing maintenance requirements in order to achieve a cost reduction.
Published -
Hashmi, Md Umar; Koirala, Arpan; Ergun, Hakan; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Robust flexibility needs assessment with bid
matching framework for distribution network
operators.
Sustainable Energy Grids & Networks; 2023; Vol. 34; pp.
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LIRIAS4083108
description
For market-based procurement of low-voltage flexibility, DSOs identify the amount of flexibility needed for resolving probable distribution network (DN) voltage and thermal congestion. A framework is required to avoid over or under-procurement of flexibility in the presence of uncertainty. To this end, we propose a scenario-based robust chance-constrained (CC) day-ahead flexibility needs assessment (FNA) framework. The CC level is analogous to the risk DSO is willing to take in flexibility planning. Multi-period optimal power flow is performed to calculate the amount of flexibility needed to avoid network issues. Future uncertainties are considered as multiple scenarios, which are utilized to solve the flexibility needs assessment optimal power flow (FNA-OPF) problem. The FNA tool calculates the temporal and locational ramp-up and ramp-down flexibility needs of the DN. We also propose a Pareto optimal mechanism for selecting CC level to reduce flexibility needs while reducing DN congestion. Zonal clustering of a DN feeder is performed using electrical distance as a measure, with spatial partitioning and silhouette coefficient. Further, a zonal and nodal bid matching algorithm is proposed, where alternate flexibility bids in the same zone are identified in case nodal matching is not exact, compared to the calculated FNA. The proposed bid matching algorithm assists the system operator in bid selection by avoiding rerunning power flow evaluations. The zonal and nodal bid matching leads to more than 43% additional reduction of probable network incidents compared to naive nodal bid matching. Furthermore, we also calculate FNA for a real German DN with 646 nodes and 331 consumers.
Publisher: Elsevier
Accepted -
Hashmi, Md Umar; Brummund, David; Lundholm, Rickard; Koirala, Arpan; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Consensus based phase connectivity identification for distribution network with limited observability.
Sustainable Energy Grids & Networks; 2023; Vol. 34; pp.
LIRIAS4083111
description
Publisher: Elsevier
Accepted -
Kaushal, Abhimanyu; Ergun, hakan; Van Hertem, Dirk;
2023.
Economic value of inertia support from HVDC system.
19th International Conference on AC and DC Power Transmission (ACDC 2023); 2023; pp. 341 - 346
Publisher: IET
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LIRIAS4082246
description
With an increasing share of energy from non-synchronous renewable energy sources (RES), the inertia of the power system is decreasing. There is also a decrease in the number of conventional resources that can help in increasing the system inertia. This reduction in system inertia has an adverse effect on frequency stability. The effect on frequency stability is more severe in smaller isolated systems than in larger systems. The number of High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnections is also increasing to harness the full potential of RES. These interconnections can also be used to provide inertial support to maintain a prerequisite system inertia level. This paper proposes a mathematical model for examining the economic aspects of inertia support with HVDC systems. The analysis shows that using inertia support from the HVDC system can reduce the overall cost of maintaining system inertia above the threshold value by 27% for Great Britain.
Published -
Koirala, Arpan; Van Acker, tom; Hashmi, md umar; D'hulst, reinhilde; Van Hertem, dirk;
2023.
Chance-constrained optimization based PV hosting capacity calculation using general Polynomial Chaos.
Ieee Transactions On Power Systems; 2023; pp.
LIRIAS4072593
description
Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Published online -
Hashmi, Md Umar; Koirala, arpan; Ergun, hakan; Van Hertem, dirk;
2023.
Flexibility needs assessment for distribution networks.
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LIRIAS4016092
description
With the growth of power system generation and load intermittency, the challenge of ensuring the operational reliability of distribution networks (DN) is a hard problem to solve. Distribution system operators (DSO) need to plan flexible resources to avoid probable distribution network incidents (DNI). DNI encapsulates the thermal congestion in the lines, voltage violations at the nodes, and not complying with power quality standards detailed in EN 50160. From DSO's perspective, power factor, voltage, and current imbalance are of additional interest. With new converter-based loads and distributed generation, a high level of harmonics is also crucial DNI. Flexibility needs assessment (FNA) refers to the amount of flexibility DSO needs to plan or procure from the flexibility market to avoid probable DNI. The probable DNI are captured using modeling uncertainties, using generated scenarios that emulate the different realizations which could happen. The scenario generation utilizes the nodal load and generation forecast along with historical forecast errors. Flexibility needs assessment optimal power flow (FNA-OPF) problem is solved for each of the scenarios. The robust FNA, considering the worst-case scenario, if used for flexibility procurement would lead to substantial over-procurement. In order to avoid this, a risk-based index, e.g. a chance constraint, is introduced for procurement. Higher values of the chance constraint would project on to greater risk DSO might have to encounter by facing unresolved DNI. This framework for FNA is shown in a flow chart in Fig. 1. Our prior and ongoing research on FNA are [1-4]. [1-3] considers voltage and thermal violation as DNI and [4] extends this for three-phase unbalanced DNs where in addition to voltage and thermal violations, the voltage and current imbalances are also considered as DNI [5]. FNA tool proposed not only provides the probable congestion incidents but also the magnitude of flexibility needed to resolve such DNIs.
Accepted