Six months after the previous Plenary in the United States, the Current/OS foundation returned to Europe, selecting Lisbon as the host city for its 10th semestral Plenary Meeting. The event was held from January 27–30, 2026, at Instituto Superior Técnico (Técnico), hosted by Shift2DC, INESC-ID, and NOVA FCT.
Despite a week of persistent rain, the mood remained bright as global experts gathered to push forward Direct Current (DC) solutions for the energy transition. The working week began on January 27th with specialized Technical Committee sessions held behind closed doors. By January 29th, the full delegation arrived for the main plenary event.
Day 1 – Opening & Strategic Discussions
The first day kicked off with an opening ceremony featuring Yannick Neyret, President of Current/OS; Hugo Morais, Shift2DC Coordinator, Senior Researcher at INESC ID, and Associate Professor at Técnico; and João Martins, Full Professor and Head of Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at FCT NOVA.
The morning sessions proceeded with two keynote speakers from EDP, Portugal’s leading electric utility: Mário Simões, Internal Delivery Lead Expert, and Pedro Ferreira, Head of Innovation in Networks. Their contribution focused on the critical role of DC technologies in modernizing distribution networks and integrating renewable energy.
Day 1 continued with a focus on strategic alignment and technical progress, featuring discussions on the new Current/OS organization and governance, the presentation of the 2026 plan, and progress reports from Committees and Working Groups.
The agenda also featured in-depth technical sessions on MVDC and the Digital workstream, alongside presentations from new Current/OS partners, providing an overview of both the current state and future direction of the initiative.
The day wrapped up with presentations from new Current/OS partners, offering an overview of the initiative’s growing ecosystem and its future direction in redefining global power systems.
As usual, the day concluded with a Gala Dinner – an equally important moment for networking and unwinding. The evening took place at the traditional restaurant Casa do Alentejo, where the group also gathered for the customary group photo.
Day 2 – Projects, Workshops & Lab Visits
The second and final day in Lisbon was dedicated to project presentations, followed by Working Group and Committee workshops, covering both Technical and Marketing & Certification tracks.
The closing session featured Miguel Pupo Correia, President of INESC-ID and Yannick Neyret, President of Current/OS, who announced the location for the next Current/OS Plenary Meeting: RWTH Aachen University (Germany)!
To close the event, participants had the opportunity to visit three of Instituto Superior Técnico’s leading laboratories, hosted by Lab leaders who guiding the visits:
- Institute for Systems and Robotics (ISR-Lisboa), presented by Professor Pedro Lima.
- IN+ Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research, (Thermofluids, Combustion and Energy Systems Lab), presented by Edgar Fernandes
- Aerospace Engineering Lab, presented by Fernando Lau.
As two full days of discussions, collaboration, and networking came to a close, the Shift2DC team would like to thank Current/OS for choosing Lisbon, INESC-ID, and Instituto Superior Técnico to host this edition of the Plenary.
We look forward to continuing this journey together and to meeting again in Germany, as we keep shaping the future of DC technologies.
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