About ICD
Several NEWGEN consortium members attended the 6th International Conference on Dielectrics (ICD), which was held in Southampton, United Kingdom, from 21 to 25 June 2026. The conference evolved from the well-established International Conference on Conduction and Breakdown in Solid Dielectrics (ICSD) and has expanded its scope to encompass liquid and gaseous dielectrics, reflecting the latest advancements and emerging research directions in the field.
ICD is a leading interdisciplinary platform that brings together researchers from academia and industry to present and discuss their latest findings. The conference showcases cutting-edge research on insulating materials, dielectric phenomena, and the performance and properties of electrical insulation under operational stresses. Covering topics related to power devices and systems, including insulation and dielectric technologies, ICD plays an important role in advancing the energy sector and addressing the growing demand for environmentally sustainable solutions.
NEWGEN Contributions
Our consortium had a strong presence at the conference. Seven research papers originating from the NEWGEN project were presented in the sessions, attracting lively discussions with conference participants. The presentations highlighted a wide range of research topics relevant to the project’s objectives and provided valuable opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange. The corresponding papers will be published in the IEEE Xplore Digital Library later this year.
The articles (1, 2) presented the short-term electrical performance of the novel polypropylene blends with space charge mitigating additives highlighting the possibilities to use those materials in extruded HVDC cables. In the article (3), the dielectric properties of bi-layer samples consisting of PP/XLPE and EPDM layers were studied to investigate the interfaces of cable insulation and joint material. Long-term properties of the materials (accelerated life tests) and the life models were presented in (4, 5). In modern power grids different overvoltage aspect are in key role, and effects of different types of overvoltages on HVDC extruded cables are studied in NEWGEN and the results are discussed in (6, 7).
Articles (1) and (2) presented the short-term electrical performance of novel polypropylene blends with and without space charge mitigating additives, highlighting their potential for use as insulation materials in the future extruded HVDC cables. Article (3) investigated the dielectric properties of bi-layer samples consisting of PP/XLPE and EPDM layers, as the interface between cable insulation and joint materials plays a crucial role in the performance and reliability of cable systems. The long-term performance of the developed materials was addressed in Articles (4) and (5), which reported the results of accelerated lifetime testing and the corresponding ageing and lifetime models. As overvoltage phenomena play a crucial role in modern power grids, NEWGEN consortium is also investigating overvoltage-related challenges in extruded HVDC cable systems. The findings of these studies were presented in Articles (6) and (7).
Poster presentations:
- Minna Niittymäki, Sami Lähteenmäki, Kari Lahti, Ilkka Rytöluoto, Manu Mulakkal, Bassel Diban & Giovanni Mazzanti, Effect of Additive Concentration on the Dielectric Properties of Extruded HVDC Cable Insulation
- Sami Lähteenmäki, Minna Niittymäki, Kari Lahti, Ilkka Rytöluoto, Bassel Diban & Giovanni Mazzanti, Evaluating Space Charge Behavior of Polypropylene Blends Using TSDC Measurements
- Bassel Diban, Rolando Ezequiel Diaz, Giovanni Mazzanti, Paolo Seri, Ilkka Rytöluoto, Kari Lahti & Minna Niittymäki, Characterization of Bi-Layer XLPE/EPDM and PP-blend/EPDM Insulations for HVDC Cable Accessories
- Bassel Diban, Giovanni Mazzanti, Paolo Seri, Ilkka Rytöluoto, Kari Lahti, & Minna Niittymäki, Accelerated Life Test Fitting of Bi-Layer Insulations for HVDC Cable Accessories
- Alessandro Sebastiani, Lorenzo Paschini, Andrea Caprara, Giovanni Mazzanti, Bassel Diban, Characterizing HVDC Accelerated Ageing in Artificially Defected Thermoplastic Materials.
- Giovanni Mazzanti, Bassel Diban, Rolando Ezequiel Diaz, Stefano Lauria, Renato Sgriscia, Preliminary Evaluation of the Challenge Set to HVDC Extruded Cables by Switching Overvoltages due to the Operation of Direct Current Circuit Breakers
- Giovanni Mazzanti, Bassel Diban, Rolando Ezequiel Diaz, , Benedetto Aluisio & Matteo Vedovato, Loss-of-life Fraction Estimation for HVDC Extruded Cables in the Presence of Long Temporary Overvoltages Recorded in the Field
NEWGEN consortium members actively contributed to the organization of the conference, as several consortium members were involved in the review process and served as reviewers of conference papers. In addition, Minna Niittymäki (Tampere University) was a member of the Technical Programme Committee and co-chaired one of the oral sessions together with Nikolai Chalashkanov.
The conference also provided an opportunity to celebrate achievements in the field of dielectrics and electrical insulation. Professor Giovanni Mazzanti (University of Bologna) received IEEE DEIS Thomas W. Dakin Distinguished Technical Contributions Award at the conference in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field. As a part of the conference programme, Prof. Mazzanti delivered a Dakin lecture entitled “Recent developments in electro-thermal life modelling of HVDC cables on 25 June, highlighting the latest advances in understanding and predicting the lifetime performance of HVDC cable systems.
The transition towards carbon-neutral energy systems requires reliable technologies for transmitting increasing amounts of renewable electricity. HVDC cable systems play a central role in this development, and NEWGEN is contributing to the field through research on next-generation insulation materials, space charge control, and material lifetime performance.
Participation in ICD 2026 provided an excellent opportunity to disseminate project results, exchange knowledge with leading international researchers, and strengthen collaboration within the dielectric materials community. Through these efforts, NEWGEN supports the advancement of reliable and sustainable power transmission technologies for future energy networks.