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| ACCC Conductor Update: May 2015 |
The Economic and Environmental Impact of Power Lines
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Access to affordable, reliable, and "clean" energy is essential for the future health of our planet, our global economy, and wellbeing in general. Without it, water cannot be pumped to support growing populations, products cannot be economically manufactured to maintain viable economies, and poverty cannot be mitigated in underdeveloped countries.
Considering that the world consumes over 20 Trillion kWh of electricity every year (according to the US Energy Information Administration) and that more than 1.4 Trillion kWh are lost in the inefficient transmission of that energy, the time has come to consider the importance of investment, not just in more efficient clean generation, but also in improved transmission technologies. As several key industry executives have stated "It is cheaper to save a 'Negawatt' than it is to produce a Megawatt."
From a fuel conservation or environmental perspective, there are an estimated 1.2 Trillion Metric Tons of CO2 created annually as a by-product of transmission line losses. If that number could be reduced by one-third (or more) by deploying modern conductors such as ACCC (Aluminum Conductor Composite Core) worldwide, a reduction in CO2 emissions of over 290 Million Metric Tons could be realized every year (based on the US average of all fuel sources including hydro, renewables, and fossil fuels).
Using the average CO2 value of 1.372 lbs per kWh, this is comparable to removing 55.8 Million cars from the road. This hypothetical one-third reduction in transmission line losses also reflects 466,620,000 MWh of electrical energy savings. This is the energy equivalent of 53,267 MW of generation (not including a capacity factor which would increase the actual number substantially).
Essentially this is the equivalent amount of generation required to power nearly 48 million homes in the US. From an oil-energy perspective, at a Btu conversion efficiency rate of 42%, the energy saved would equal over 1.9 billion barrels of oil every year. The question that should be considered is: "Is it cheaper to create energy or save it?"
For more information about the numerous ways modern conductors can improve the efficiency, capacity and reliability of the electric power grid, please download a free copy of CTC Global's "Engineering Transmission Lines with High-Capacity, Low-Sag ACCC Conductor" CLICK HERE or visit www.ctcglobal.com
To date, the ACCC conductor has been used at over 325 projects in 30 countries to upgrade existing lines so the development of new lines could, in many cases, be avoided. To see our interactive project map CLICK HERE
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Why Over 130 Utilities in 30 Countries Have Selected ACCC
- High Capacity
- Low Sag
- High Strength
- Fatigue Resistant
- Corrosion Resistant
- Excellent Self Damping
- Easy to Install
- Great for Long Spans
- Very Tough & Flexible
- Extensively Lab & Field Tested
- Excellent for N-1 Conditions
- Reduced Line Losses & Emissions
- Free's-up Generation Capacity that is Otherwise Lost
The ACCC Conductor's added aluminum content (without a weight or diameter penalty) allows it to run cooler under any load condition which translates into reduced line losses. Reduced line losses can save fuel, emissions and generation capacity.
The Bottom Line:
In more than 325 cases the ACCC conductor has provided more than 130 utilities the best economic solution for their specific project needs. |
| CLICK HERE to view our interactive project map
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Overview of ACCC Conductor Training, Installation and Operating Experience
With over 325 projects under CTC Global's belt we have learned a lot. Some of it the hard way. Our job is not only to help you learn the attributes of ACCC, its also to help keep your crews safe during installation. In an effort to share our knowledge base we have created a number of useful documents and training videos. To download a copy of "Overview of ACCC Conductor Training, Installation and Operating Experience" CLICK HERE To explore our video library: CLICK HERE |
Installation Training Completed in Costa Rica
In preparation for a 230 kV re-conductor project in Costa Rica, Ismael Dones, one of CTC Global's Top-Tier Field Service Supervisors completed installation training for a group of about 50 linemen and technicians prior to the start of construction. Ismael Dones is well known in the field and has supported installations in more than a dozen countries, worldwide. With Ismael's support the crew will be replacing over 140 km of ACSR with ACCC Drake conductor through very rugged terrain over the next few months. |
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Free Engineering Mauual
To help Transmission and Distribution planners, engineers, policy makers, grid operators, technicians and others take full advantage of the ACCC conductor's attributes, CTC Global has published a 250 page Engineering Manual. It offers a very comprehensive set of design guidelines, case studies, figures and facts about conductors and composite materials, and includes links to additional resources and FAQ's, To download an electronic version please
CLICK HERE
If you would like to receive a hard copy please CLICK HERE
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Free Engineering Software
CTC Global created CCP to help system planners and engineers compare the ampacity, line losses, thermal and ice load sag, and economic aspects of nearly any conductor type and size, so the numerous advantages of the ACCC? conductor can be fully realized. The user simply selects the conductor types and sizes from drop down menus and enters the appropriate values & assumptions highlighted in the yellow boxes. The program is fully functional and uses standard industry formulas (such as IEEE 738-2006). Outputs are readily comparable to Sag10?, PLS CADD? and other similar programs
CLICK HERE
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Visit Our New Blog - Join the Discussion and...
It's always great sharing ideas and experiences, asking questions and learning new things - no matter how experienced or new you might be to the world of T&D. Whether you're a planner, electrical engineer, structural guru, grid operator, or just plain curious, please check out our new blog and join the conversation. We will do our best to start interesting discussions, share ideas, discuss lessons learned, answer questions and offer additional resources you might not already be aware of.
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| CTC Global proudly works with top-tier manufacturing partners worldwide
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ACCC Conductor is an internationally patented and trademark registered product of CTC Global Corporation. The ACCC conductor is manufactured in association with 20 qualified and licensed international stranding partners. If you are interested in the ACCC conductor, please contact CTC Global to make sure your supplier is authorized to produce and deliver ACCC conductor in your area. Thank You. CTC Global Corporation 2026 McGaw Avenue, Irvine, California USA 92614
Telephone: +1 949 428 8500 www.ctcglobal.com
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