Delta Star, Inc.’s Post

The Most Confusing Part of the Power Grid https://lnkd.in/gWTJSnuS

Here's a counterpoint to the previous post about permitting delays. As interesting are the current material bottlenecks. (Mats will be a bottleneck soon, too.) "Power grid bottlenecks reminds us strangely of the US housing market in 2007-08. Capable of world-changing upheaval. Fine until it isn't. Imbalances have been building for a decade....So where should we be looking and what will we find?" #renewablesenergy #transmissionlines https://lnkd.in/e88zC279

Cat Electric Power is GENERATING great conversations on grid stability and reliability.

How upgrading existing power lines (reconductoring the grid) can have a major impact on increasing the grid's capacity in a short amount of time (and therefore more rapidly aiding electrification and the transition to renewables), via David Robert's Volts podcast, Jason Huang, and Emilia Chojkiewicz. Reconductoring existing transmission and distribution lines with such high performance conductors (that also have the capability of being “smart”) would basically provide greater capacity at a lower total system cost much faster than building new lines. It would also increase the resiliency of the grid (addressing, among other things, sag which will only get worse with increasing global temperatures). Financing options are also available to do this at no cost to the utility, with loss savings used to pay back those fronting the money. I often like to point out how meaningful #climateaction to develop and equitably implement mitigation and adaptation strategies is ultimately a behavioral problem (individual but primarily collective), with technological innovation having a secondary role. But here's a case in point where a technological innovation can be key to addressing a behavioral barrier. Building new transmission and distribution lines takes such a long time because of the multitude of local political/NIMBY hurdles to literally and figuratively clear. While new lines will still need to be built, replacing existing lines with more efficient conductors removes major hurdles to rapidly increasing the capacity of the grid. #transmissionlines #powerlines #electrification #powergrid #carbonfiber #advancedconductors #gridmodernization #climatechangesolutions #behavior #collectiveaction https://lnkd.in/gNC9EbhT

What is the easiest way to boost the grid? Upgrade power lines. More specifically, change existing conductors (the cables that connect towers in overhead transmission lines - and that we call "conductors" because their role is to carry a mechanical load, but to transmit electricity) by better ones. 95% of conductors on the planet use a 1908 (yes - 116 year old) technology, which was revolutionary at the time. All art was contemporary at some point, I guess. With advanced conductors, it is possible to replace those old conductors with conductors that can carry up to three times the amount of current, have half of the electric resistance (and therefore half of the line losses at a given current level) without any need to retrofit the towers (adding towers or increasing the height of towers). Minimal visual impact. A simple "maintenance" procedure. No new rights of way. Skeptical but intrigued? You want to know more? Please listen to the podcast below, featuring Jason Huang, CEO and founder of TS Conductor, and Emilia Chojkiewicz, of UC Berkeley. #energytransition #climatechange #transmission #reconductoring #electricitygrid #powerlines #utilityindustry #utilities https://lnkd.in/dMvDRKdR

Key to making the energy transition successful!

A look at Reactive Power and Power Factor is managed on our energy grids. It comes with a decent primer so its understandable with some basic electrical knowledge. All of this to explain why there was a large black out in Quebec Canada during the recent geomagnetic storms.

One easy way to boost the grid: upgrade the power lines. ! Nothing is easy, some things are easier than others. For WA to realise the vision outlined in the Energy Policy SWIS Demand Assessment of 50GW of new renewable energy and 4,000km of transmission installed and operational by 2042, all viable options (that rules NPP out) need to be on table. The energy transition is by nature a political process, unfortunately this has meant a lack of honesty, transparency and community engagement thus far. In the interest of democracy and trust in government and institutions, the WA energy transition decision making, plan formulation and funding needs to made more visible to the public. This Podcast from david roberts at Volts with articulate guests Jason Huang and Emilia Chojkiewicz is worth listening to. Reconductoring might also help with climate change resilience! Be interesting for the community to know what Grid Enhancing Technologies and reconductoring that Energy Policy WA, Western Power and Horizon Power have considered, modelled, trialed and put into operation. #energytransition #energypolicy #renewableenergy https://lnkd.in/gcS_m2Wr

What an innovative technology to address the urgent need for energy transmission grid capacity upgrades, and save money in the process.

Barn-burner of a podcast from the inimitable david roberts on upgrading power lines. Jason Huang from TS Conductor and Emilia Chojkiewicz from Berkeley Lab talk about opportunities to "reconductor" the grid as a way of chipping away at the estimated 5-6% of energy lost during transmission in our electricity system. You only need to know two numbers from this: 50 and 50. As the two guests say: 🔩 Unique material combinations of carbon fibre and aluminum can upgrade current century-old conductor technology, and, potentially, reduce line power loss by as much as 50% 💰 Because you can put more transmission capacity on the same towers, we could potentially save massive amounts of money in retrofitting the existing grid. This can result in, guess what, 50% cost reductions compared to building new lines. Because so much of our power infrastructure is aging, opting for a next-generation technology like this could play a significant role in bringing down the costs of the clean energy transition in BC, and around the world.