Earlier this month the Australian Energy Market Operator published a final ruling on Marginal Loss Factors. The ruling, which takes effect on July 1st, is expected to have a profound impact on the economics of renewable generation projects in Australia.
Specifically, developers of wind and solar farms face a cut to revenues based on the difference between generation output and actual power delivered – taking transmission line losses into consideration.
The “derating” of many projects in the queue may make it much more difficult to justify critical investment, and existing generation assets may see a substantial cut in revenue.
CTC Global, based in Irvine, California, USA has proposed one possible solution.
In 2005, CTC Global commercialized a new type of bare overhead conductor frequently used to increase the capacity of existing transmission lines. The product, known as ACCC Conductor uses a hybrid carbon fiber core to replace the steel core generally used to support overhead aluminum conductive wires.
While the ACCC Conductor is capable of carrying twice the current of conventional steel reinforced conductors, its lighter weight core allows the use of approximately 30 percent more conductive aluminum which serves to reduce line losses by a whopping 30 to 40 percent. Reduction in line losses can subsequently rebalance the marginal loss factor issue described by AEMO.
According to AMEO: “New generation is increasingly connecting at the periphery of the transmission network, including northwest Victoria, southwest NSW, and north and central Queensland. In these areas, access to renewable resources is good, yet the network is electrically weak and remote from the regional reference node.”
CTC Global believes that upgrading existing transmission lines with ACCC Conductor in these regions – and using ACCC Conductor for proposed tie lines – will have a profound impact on improving the economics of existing and proposed renewable resource projects, while improving grid reliability and resilience.
Worldwide over 675 projects ranging from 11 kV to over 500 kV have already exploited the advantages of this important new technology.
For more information, please visit www.ctcglobal.com
Comments on reduction of losses due to more aluminium area in ACCC due to its inherent low weight in comparison to equal weight of AAC or ACSR is OK for upgrade of TLs. How does the cost comparison result if ACCC with aluminium area is selected in polluted area where existing damage ACSR needs replacement and ground clearance is compromised
Thank you for your questions. The ACCC Conductor was designed to deliver more power more efficiently than other conductor types of the same diameter and weight. Because the ACCC Conductor’s composite core is ~70% lighter than an equally sized steel core, its lighter weight allows it to incorporate ~30% more aluminum (using compact trapezoidal shaped aluminum strands) without an overall weight or diameter penalty. The added aluminum content serves to reduce electrical resistance – under any load condition – and the reduced thermal sag allows it to carry more current without violating sag limits. The ACCC Conductor’s resistance to corrosion also makes it ideally suited for highly corrosive agricultural, industrial and salt air environments.
Hello,
I am working in the Research and Innovation department of electric network in the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG). I am interested in introducing this new technology of HTLS conductor in our grid. How can I proceed.
I want to know about the diffrerent level of voltage in which we can use this conductor. and how to make a study proving the technico-economic benefit of its introduction in our network.
Thanks in advance.