According to Binita Kumari Dash (https://www.quora.

com/What-are-the-advantages-
disadvantages-of-DC-in-power-systems)
If you are asking for HVDC transmission, then there are many things to know between
ac and DC transmission.
HVDC transmission is used when bulk amount of power need to be transmitted over the
long distance power lines. This is because in case of DC transmission, the capital cost is
very high, so in order to have profit, you need to have very high voltage long
transmission which, on the long run term, makes profit. Normally it is used at
transmission voltages of 765 KV or above.
The advantages of HVDC transmission are :

The number of conductors required, mainly one or two, is less as compared to

ac transmission ( normally having three conductors).
Smaller towers are required in HVDC as compared to the tall towers of AC
transmission.
Fault clearance is faster in HVDC which provides improved transient stability.
It is due to the absence of reactive elements in DC.
Skin effect doesn't exist in DC. So size of conductor in DC transmission is
greatly reduced.
Two AC systems at different frequencies can be interconnected through HVDC
transmission lines.
In case of underground cable, DC transmission is preferred as it requires no
charging current and any reactive power.
The disadvantages are :

Additional cost of converter and inverter

Harmonics generated in both supply and load sides due to the use of electronic
equipment like rectifier and inverter.
Absence of transformer to modify voltage levels.
But the advantages of HVDC over disadvantages are greater in case of long transmission
line of bulk power requirements.
That's why HVDC is used for bulk power transmission as compared to AC transmission.
According to Miguel Valdespino, B. Tech graduate in EE
(https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-advantages-disadvantages-of-DC-in-power-
systems)
DC is easier for electrical devices to use directly. Most
items use DC, which is why so many electronics have
"wall wart" power supplies. ...or used to. USB's 5v
source has become a new standard for small
electronics. Now that this is becoming a standard,
we're starting to see adaptations like this:

According to Pavani Ponnada, Junior Telecom

Officer at Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (2017-
present) (https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-
advantages-disadvantages-of-DC-in-power-
systems)
Dc transmission is preferred for long distance bulk
power transmission..to have asynchronous interconnection also we use hvdc links..In
underground systems also inorder to reduce charging currents we can use hvdc links..
advantages start with security..with deregulation in power sector..threats to security also
increase with hvdc security can be enhanced..fault currents can be controlled by firing angle
control..
Disadvantages are absence of transformers..costly hvdc circuit breakers..rectifier n inverter
stations require filters..reactive power sources
According to a website Hunker the Advantages and Disadvantages od AC and DC
posted by Peter Lancett. (https://www.hunker.com/12298674/the-advantages-
disadvantages-of-ac-and-dc)
Power that is delivered from storage devices, such as batteries, is delivered in the form of
a direct current (DC) while power that comes from a power plant uses alternating current
(AC). The positive and negative connectors on a DC battery send voltage in one direction,
with negatively charged electrons being attracted toward a positively charged connector
at the other end of the wire and vice versa, and thus remain positive and negative at all
times. With AC transmissions, power flows in two directions, meaning that the terminals
change polarity depending on the direction of the power flow. The frequency with which
AC current changes direction is measured in Hertz (Hz); in the United States, current is
delivered using a frequency of 60Hz.
When electricity flows down a cable, it generates an electro-magnetic field. When the
current changes, as it does with AC current, a counter electro-magnetic field is produced
that acts as a resistance to the power being transmitted. These means that AC
transmission of electricity loses power due to both resistance and to reactance. Because
DC power transmission never changes direction, it is not susceptible to power loss as a
result of reactance.
According to a website called Eniquest Independent Power Innovations a specialist in
remote area Power & Independent Energy source entitled a topic THE ADVANTAGES
OF USING DC ELECTRICITY
We make electricity in two forms: alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC).
Each form has its disadvantages and advantages in the way it is made and how it can be
used. The important advantage of AC electricity is that it is easier to transport over long
distances. Mains electricity is AC because it comes to us over long distances from the
large centralised generating stations spread throughout Australia. For independent
power plants this advantage is not important because the electricity doesnt move very
far to get to where it is used; for independent power plants the advantages of DC
electricity are more important.
Storing electricity
The biggest advantage of DC electricity is that it is easier to store than AC electricity,
especially on a small scale.
Storing electricity when it is made, for use later when it is needed, is a critical concept
for a hybrid independent power plant. When electricity is stored we can use it when we
need it, and storing it increases its density, so we can take as much power as we want to
operate high-powered equipment. When we store electricity we can turn the generator
set off most of the time which saves fuel, and we can use electricity when our renewable
sources such as solar cells are not providing electricity.
The best way to store electrical energy for relatively small-scale applications is to
use rechargeable storage batteries. We can retrieve electricity from a storage battery
bank silently, efficiently, and immediately when we need it.
Storage batteries require DC electricity, so to get the advantages of storing electricity in
a storage battery bank, we must generate DC electricity.
Providing AC mains electricity
In practice, we ultimately need to provide mains-style AC electricity because most of the
equipment that we want to use is designed to run on mains-style electricity.
An important advantage of using DC electricity for an independent power plant is that
AC mains electricity can be generated twice as efficiently by using a diesel DC generator,
and converting the DC electricity to mains-style AC electricity, than by generating mains
style AC electricity directly using a petrol AC synchronous generator.
Variable engine speed
An AC synchronous generator must turn at a single, specific, speed to control the
characteristics of the mains-style electricity that it generates; if more power is needed,
the engine cannot be sped up; if only a little power is needed the engine cannot be
slowed down. For a DC generator, the characteristics of the mains-style electricity are
determined by the DC to AC conversion process, so the turning speed of a DC generator
doesnt matter, and the driving engine can turn at a range of speeds. This means that if
a lot of power is needed the maximum potential of the engine can be used by running it
at its maximum speed; if only a little power is needed the engine can be slowed down,
saving fuel and wear, and making less noise.
Providing the alternators magnetic field
Because the turning speed of an AC synchronous generator cant be changed to match a
changing electrical load, the generators output must be controlled by changing the
strength of the magnetic field in its alternator. To make the magnetic field controllable
it must be produced using an electromagnet, called a field winding, which uses some of
the electricity made by the generator. Because a DC generator can be controlled by
varying its speed, its alternator can use permanent magnets to create its magnetic field,
and so doesnt lose any of the electricity that it makes to the field winding.
Variable speed and no field winding make a DC generator much more efficient than a
synchronous AC generator.
Because PowerMaker is a DC generator, it receives all of the advantages of DC
electricity.
According to a website called Clean Line Energy Partners entitled a topic About Direct
Current Technology (https://www.cleanlineenergy.com/technology/wind-and-solar)
Understanding DC Transmission
Direct current (DC) is the preferred technology for moving large amounts of power
across long distances. DC results in overall higher efficiency and reliability than an
equivalently-sized alternating current (AC) system moving the same amount of power.
THE ADVANTAGES OF DC
More efficient: Over long distances, DC transmission can move more power with less
electrical losses than an equivalent AC transmission line.
Lower Cost: Higher efficiency means a lower transmission cost, helping renewable
energy compete against other power sources.
Improved Reliability: HVDC transmission can enhance system stability, allow the
operator complete control over power flow, and facilitate the integration of wind from
different resource areas.
Direct Current (DC):
The flow of electric charge in only one direction
Smaller Footprint: DC transmission lines require narrower right-of-way footprints,
using less land, than equivalent AC lines.
The major advantage of DC power lines is their efficiencyless energy is lost as it is
transmitted and there is no need for reactive compensation along the line. Because DC
(Direct Current) flows steadily through the wires without changing direction many times
each second and through the entire conductor rather than at the surface, DC (Direct
Current) transmission lines typically lose less power than AC transmission lines.
Transmission Line Structures
There are many different types of HVDC transmission structures used to deliver
power. Clean Line Energy is evaluating the use of steel lattice and steel monopole DC
transmission structures to move large amounts of renewable power over long distances
to market.
A typical steel monopole transmission structure requires around 35,000 40,000
pounds of steel per structure and a typical steel lattice transmission structure requires
an average of 32,000 pounds of steel per structure.
The images below show average specifications for a typical steel monopole, typical steel
lattice mast, and a typical steel lattice transmission structure.
HVDC TRANSMISSION STRUCTURES

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Wind and Solar

WHY RENEWABLE ENERGY?
Renewable energy is clean, affordable, domestic, and effectively infinite. It produces no
emissions and results in cleaner air and water for all. Renewable power creates jobs and
generates revenue for local communities. Revenue from solar and wind farms helps
stimulate local economies that need new roads, schools, libraries, and hospitals.
The United States has some of the best wind resources in the world, with enough
potential energy to produce nearly 10 times the country's existing power needs. Wind
energy is now one of the most cost-effective sources of new generation, competing with
new installations of coal, gas and nuclear power. Its cost has dropped steadily over the
past few years, as wind turbine technology has improved. Currently, over 400 American
manufacturing plants build wind components, towers and blades.
Solar power can also help meet America's energy demand. Solar installations in the
United States exceed 3,100 megawatts, enough to power more than 630,000 homes.
The solar industry employs more than 100, 000 Americans and grew by 69 percent in
2010, making it one of the fastest growing sectors in the U.S. The price of solar panels
has dropped by 30 percent since 2010 and costs continue to fall. The United States was a
net exporter of solar products in 2010 by $2 billion.
Wind and solar energy are reliable sources of electricity that can diversify our nation's
energy portfolio. However, continued growth of renewable energy in the U.S. faces a
serious challenge: the lack of transmission. Clean Line's direct current (DC) projects will
deliver thousands of megawatts of renewable energy from the windiest and solar-rich
areas of the United States to communities and cities that lack access to new, low-cost,
clean power. Read more about HVDC and how it works.
ABOUT WIND ENERGY
Wind is air in motion caused by natural factors like the uneven heating of the earth's
surface by the sun, the rotation of the earth and the irregularities of the earth's surface.
Wind energy has been used for centuries to move ships, pump water and grind grain. In
the twentieth century, windmills were commonly used across the Great Plains to pump
water and to generate electricity.
HOW WIND ENERGY IS PRODUCED
Wind turbines that are typically 200 feet or more above ground are used to harness the
wind and turn it into energy. When the wind blows, it turns the turbines blades. The
blades are connected to a drive shaft that moves with the blades. The shaft is attached to
a generator, which creates electricity. The electricity created is in the form alternating
current.

According to Dricus from a website Sinovoltaics entitled Direct Current (DC) Power:

definition and applications (http://sinovoltaics.com/learning-center/basics/direct-

current-dc-power-definition-and-applications/)
Direct Current (DC) Power refers to the unidirectional flow of electrons and is the form
of power that is most commonly produced by sources such as solar cells and batteries.
What is power?
Power can be defined as the rate of energy consumed in a unit time. The unit of
measurement of power is Watt, after the famous eighteenth century scientist, James
Wattwho invented the steam engine.
In mechanical systems, power is known as mechanical power and is a combination of
forces and movement.
In electrical systems, electrical power is the rate of flow of electrical energy past a given
point in a closed circuit. For our applications we will only consider the electrical power.
Alternating and direct current
Electrical power can be classified as AC Power or DC Power depending upon the
direction of the flow of energy.
Here AC stands for Alternating Current and DC stands for Direct Current.
Power which is a result of current flowing in alternating direction is termed as AC Power
and one which is a result of current flowing in only one direction is called DC Power.
Direct current waveform
In DC (Direct current) circuits, the flow of electrical charge (or in other words,
electrons) is unidirectional and unlike AC Current, it does not periodically reverses its
direction.
The typical waveform of alternating current is a pure sine wave as shown in the figure
below.

Direct Current (red curve). The horizontal axis measures time; the vertical, current or
voltage. Source: Wikipedia.org
What are common DC applications?
This form of power is most commonly produced by sources such as solar cells, batteries,
and thermocouples.
DC power is widely used in low voltage applications such as charging batteries,
automotive applications, aircraft applications and other low voltage, low current
applications. All solar panels nowadays produce DC power.
Common applications with DC power in the PV industry are portable solar systems and
other off-grid appliances. Not using a solar inverter to convert DC to AC will keep the
costs down for such systems.
Advantages and Disadvantages DC current
Nowadays for electric power distribution alternating current is mostly used, as it
has significant advantages over direct current in transmission and transforming.
One of the biggest advantages of DC power is its ability to be used in special
applications.
Whenever AC power transmission is not practically feasible or possible over long
distances, DC power is used. One such application are sub-sea high voltage DC
transmission lines.
Here, the electricity is produced in AC form, converted to DC at a switching/ terminal
station, transmitted by a subsea network of cables, re-converted to AC by another
terminal station and finally delivered to customers.

Norned DC cable between Norway and The Netherlands Source: Wikipedia

Sub-Sea DC Transmission Lines

Many such lines are functional to date. Some notable examples are:
Baltic Cable Link
Between: Sweden and Germany
Length: 250 km
NorNed Cable Link
Between: Norway and Netherlands
Length: 580 km
Basslink
Between: Australian mainland and Tasmania
Length: 290 km
A big disadvantage of these High Voltage Transmissions is the higher cost of building
terminal stations and switching yards. The parts used need quite a lot of maintenance,
which is expensive, and have limited overloading capacity as well.