The Netherlands Direct Current Foundation

Electrification is one of the main challenges facing society today. Our modern world demands more and more from traditional electricity networks and infrastructure.

An energy transition is needed. And direct current (DC) is an essential part of this transition. From the humble USB-C connector to green energy production on a national scale, DC offers help for modern energy challenges.

Stichting Gelijkspanning Nederland is committed to DC as an integral component of a new, sustainable world: providing better energy management, clean production and smarter consumption.

Because we are increasingly going "all-electric" and because there is a shift from using alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), the risk of corrosion of concrete reinforcement, for example, is increasing.

In DC, this problem occurs more than in AC because the direction of current in AC is naturally always changing (frequency) and in DC the current only goes in one direction. Due to this change of direction in AC, the AC leakage current cancels itself out, so to speak.

DC leakage currents can occur in both DC and AC installations.

The standard solution is a residual current device. If the (leakage) current exceeds 6mA, the installation switches itself off.

Problem solved you might say, but what happens if the leakage current stays just below that 6mA for a long time?

Webinar on Friday 26 February

Then Ronald Fransen will discuss DC leakage currents and corrosion with various experts including from the gas world.

What exactly is the problem, how big is the problem and what are solutions? Watch the webinar back here or below: