Recent Advances and Future Perspectives of HVDC Development in Pakistan: A Scientometric Analysis Based Comprehensive Review

Power generation in the global power sector has recently seen a paradigm shift from centralized bulk generation to distributed generation. In this regard, there are two transmission technologies available: high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) and high-voltage direct current (HVDC). The technical and economic benefits of HVDC transmission technology have enabled many countries to implement it widely for long-distance bulk power transmission, particularly between remote locations and densely populated areas. HVDC technology, however, is still relatively new in Pakistan. Despite this, HVDC technology holds great promise in Pakistan, specifically in utilizing and integrating distributed renewable energy sources with the national grid, as well as enabling cross-border energy trade. This study aims to provide a first-ever scientometric analysis of the HVDC technology field, highlighting key research themes and trends. A correlation is established between HVDC research and its adoption in Pakistan by extracting articles from the Scopus database and analyzing them with the VOS viewer, a modern data analysis tool. The scientometric analysis indicates a minimal contribution from Pakistani authors in the field of HVDC technology as compared to authors of the neighboring nations, highlighting a significant gap in knowledge transfer and technology adoption. Moreover, an overview of HVDC technology is provided, along with a comparison between HVAC and HVDC technologies. Last but not least, Pakistan's existing and proposed HVDC projects, prospects, and challenges associated with HVDC adoption are discussed.