On April 2, 2026, the Shift2DC project participated at the DC World Conference in Paris. As part of the larger Digital Twin | BIM World event, the conference focused on topics such as electrification, direct current (DC), and energy flexibility in buildings and territories.
Shift2DC was represented onsite by Hugo Morais (INESC ID), who joined a specialized panel of academic and industrial experts to provide an overview of DC progress worldwide. The session explored how DC technologies can unlock more resilient, low-carbon, and intelligent infrastructure for a sustainable future.
Titled “Feedback and Case Studies: Concrete Projects Offering a Comprehensive Overview of DC Progress Worldwide,” the session featured Hugo Morais (INESC ID) with the presentation “Shift2DC: A European Project Dedicated to DC Demonstrators.” He was joined by Laurens Mackay (DC Opportunities), who discussed “Direct Current Data Centers,” Camille Prud’homme (Supergrid Institute) on “Medium Voltage DC Grid to Unlock Linear PV Potential,” and finally Romain Scolan (BacktoDC – Vinci Group) who provided the perspective of a major multi-technical integrator focused on building solutions and infrastructure.
The panel highlighted the evolution of power systems into interconnected DC microgrids and the experts also addressed several key areas essential to the advancement of DC technology, including:
- Future of Power Systems: Moving beyond centralized generation toward distributed energy resources, including microgrids that can operate both on and off-grid.
- Infrastructure Demonstrators: The project showcased the work being done under the Shift2DC four demonstrators, entirely focused on DC solutions.
- Sustainable Integration: Discussions emphasized the potential of linear PV (photovoltaics) to unlock energy generation, with the potential to provide up to 35 GWc in France alone
Morais’s participation highlighted the importance of the Shift2DC project, to contribute to renewable energy and large-scale electrification by integrating DC solutions in four main infrastructures – Datacenters, Ports, Buildings, and Industry. Some of the pilots are already in operation showing a huge potential in the adoption of DC solutions in different applications.
“Shift2DC’s participation contributed significantly to the success of the conference. Hugo Morais’ presentation on Shift2DC, alongside the other session panelists, effectively showcased the transition to direct-current solutions as both tangible and desirable. Their contribution was key in establishing DC World as a benchmark event for direct current in France, and we are grateful for the quality the project brought to the discussions over the two-day event”, Emmanuel François, DC World Program Manager
The conference concluded with the overall message that moving DC from concept to reality requires strong collaboration between research institutions and industrial partners to validate interoperability and ensure hardware reliability through advanced testing.
Check the event’s official website here.