Described as the “biggest change to the power system in history”, we are seeing a move to High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission grids around the world. These grids are overtaking alternating current/AC systems whose magnetic fields generate substantial losses in the process of transmission.
And to facilitate the switching from AC to DC and back (given most of our household systems are AC) we now have the insulated gate bipolar transistor or IGBT.
Maybe sounds technical, but with these two technologies, we will be able to better manage our grids for renewable energy.
A thoroughly interesting development: