Silver is commonly used for plating copper contacts in power transformer tap-changers for a number of reasons: it lowers contact resistance because it has higher conductivity, it resists pitting and erosion better than copper thus giving improve arc resistance and, even with some tarnish it remains conductive. Silver can also dissipate heat more efficiently reducing the risk of hotspots.  Silvered contacts may therefore extend the use of tap-changer contacts even with relatively thin coatings.Read More

In an era where decarbonization and digitalization converge, Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) are emerging as pivotal orchestrators of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) encompassing solar PV, battery storage, electric vehicles, and demand response in modern distribution systems. By aggregating these heterogeneous assets into a unified, flexible portfolio, VPPs transcend traditional grid constraints, enabling Distribution System Operators (DSOs) to balance supply-demand volatility, enhance resilience, and unlock ancillary services at scale. Read More

The CIGRE Study Committee D2 (Information Systems and Telecommunications) held a pivotal international roundtable in Shanghai, China, on September 19, 2025, focusing specifically on optical and wireless communications for power utilities.Read More

2025 was truly special for the Green Books with 3 celebrations: the Scopus referencing in May, the 500,000^th chapter download in October and at the end of the year, the celebration of 10 years of cooperation with our Green Books Publisher Springer.Read More