Detailed Specification of the Demonstrators
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Abstract
Deliverable D4.1 of the Shift2DC project presents the comprehensive technical specifications for five demonstrators that serve as practical implementations of Direct Current (DC) power technologies in varied application domains. These demonstrators aim to validate medium-voltage (MVDC) and low-voltage (LVDC) solutions under real-world conditions to advance the decarbonisation, resilience, and efficiency of future energy systems. This deliverable is foundational for the subsequent development, simulation, and evaluation activities within the Work Package 4 (WP4). The document details each demonstrator’s configuration, component specifications, single-line diagrams (SLD), Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and validation methodologies: DC Data Centres Demonstrator (led by Fraunhofer IISB): Focused on edge data centres, this demonstrator showcases resilience and efficiency improvements using an integrated DC grid that powers both Information Technology (IT) and office areas. Key use cases include grid resilience, scalability, and sector coupling with Electric Vehicle (EV) charging and heat reuse. Services Building Demonstrator (led by EDF): Implemented in a new office space, it evaluates the benefits of a 700V/350V DC grid for energy efficiency, self-consumption, Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capability, and resilience. A full use case suite explores DC flexibility, Energy Management System (EMS) control, and protection strategies. Industrial LVDC Demonstrator (led by Phoenix Contact): Located in the “AES Factory” in Germany, this demonstrator highlights modularity, scalability, and reliability of industrial DC grids. It integrates Photovoltaic (PV), Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), EV charging, and industrial processes, with use cases on protection systems, resilience, and sector coupling. LVDC/MVDC Operation and Protection Demonstrator (led by EATON): This laboratory-scale demonstrator supports the analysis of meshed LVDC grids interfaced with MVDC systems. It enables testing of operational strategies, protection mechanisms, fault handling, and voltage stability using flexible converter setups. DC Port Digital Twin Demonstrator (led by ITI/IST-ID): Combines a physical DC setup with a virtual digital twin to optimize port energy management, grid interaction, microgrid operations, and hydrogen integration. Four Business Use Cases cover operational scenarios from shore-side supply to port-wide energy hub functions. The deliverable emphasizes the strategic alignment of these demonstrators with Europe’s energy transition goals. It lays out a coherent methodology for verifying technical performance, economic viability, environmental impact, and system interoperability of DC-based technologies. Together, these demonstrators establish a solid foundation for evaluating the Shift2DC innovations. This document will be succeeded by deliverables focusing on simulation results (D4.2), digital twin testing (D4.3), and lessons learned (D4.4), ensuring a systematic progression toward replicable and scalable DC deployments across sectors.
Authors 9
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Affiliation as printed
Phoenix Contact (Germany)
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Affiliation as printed
Eaton (Germany)
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IST-ID - Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento
Affiliation as printed
IST-ID - Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento
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Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento
Affiliation as printed
Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento
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Électricité de France (France)
Affiliation as printed
Électricité de France (France)
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Électricité de France (France)
Affiliation as printed
Électricité de France (France)
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Tim Karsten Aachen
Affiliation as printed
RWTH Aachen University
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Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology
Affiliation as printed
Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology
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Affiliation as printed
Schneider Electric (France)
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