October 2016 – The first ABB Research Award was given to Dr Jef Beerten from KU Leuven, Belgium, who receives a US $?300,000 grant over the next three years for ongoing research at the forefront of energy technology.

Dr Jef Beerten, of the University of Leuven (KU Leuven) and EnergyVille, postdoctoral fellow of Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO), Belgium, is the first recipient of the ABB Research Award in Honor of Hubertus von Gruenberg. At a ceremony in front of more than a hundred international researchers, Dr Beerten was recognized for his doctoral thesis, “Modeling and Control of DC Grids.” He was chosen from 69 applicants from leading institutions around the world, representing a wide range of disciplines. Dedicated in honor of former ABB chairman Dr. Hubertus von Gruenberg, the award recognizes outstanding academic work in energy and automation and is accompanied by one of the highest research grants of its kind. It will be given every three years.

“As the pioneering technology leader and global digital champion, we’re happy to support path-breaking research connected to the Energy and Fourth Industrial Revolutions,” said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. “I congratulate Jef Beerten, whose work stands out for its applicability to real-world problems in the field of power and automation.”

Jef Beerten’s dissertation offers new insights into phenomena governing the stability of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) grids interacting with existing HV alternating current (HVAC) grids. Point-to-point HVDC connections are already employed and offer a more efficient and cost-effective method for bulk long-distance power transmission. Meshed HVDC grids interacting with existing AC infrastructure offer a solution of efficiently and cost-effectively routing renewable energy to where it will be ultimately consumed. Current tools for studying large-scale (e.g. continental scale) power systems are however typically designed for understanding the behavior specific to AC grids. Jef Beerten has devised new tools, models, and methods for designing and controlling meshed HVDC grids, which use fast-switching power electronic converters for AC-DC conversion in order to improve the understanding of how today’s HVAC grids will interact with future HVDC grids.

On being the award’s recipient, Dr. Beerten said, “I am proud and delighted to be able to accept this exceptional award. I would like to thank ABB for the grant and this unique opportunity to continue my work in the field of electric power systems. This new research challenges previous approaches to modeling, controlling, and operating electrical grids. It reminds us that we have to embrace these changes by challenging existing paradigms and thinking outside of the box.”