ACCC Conductor News  CTC Global  August 2013
 

      

ACCC Conductor Reduces Line Losses by 25 to 40% 

 

 Why Utilities, Investors, Regulators, Consumers and Environmentalists all Care 

 

 

According to the US Energy Information Administration, the world consumes over 20 Trillion kWh of electricity every year.  Approximately 7% of all electricity generated is lost in the wires used to deliver power (primarily due to conductor resistance), which results in a loss of 1.4 Trillion kWh every year.  The ACCC conductor, which uses a high-strength, light-weight composite core, allows the incorporation of 28% more aluminum in any given conductor size/diameter without a weight penalty.  The added aluminum content (and quality of the aluminum used) substantially reduces conductor resistance.  Reduced electrical resistance, reduces line losses by 25 to 40% (or more) depending upon electrical load.

 

In 2005, Hydro One performed a comparison test on a number of conductor types.  During the test they ran 1,600 amps through "Drake" size conductors to assess their sag characteristics.  The ACCC conductor not only exhibited the least thermal sag (important for safety and reliability), it also ran 60 to 80 degrees C cooler than any of the other equivalent sized conductors tested.  The cooler temperature is a direct reflection of improved efficiency, as less energy is lost to heat.

A reduction in line losses offers many advantages. Reduced line losses can enable utilities to reduce fuel consumption which can decrease the cost of delivered power, improve profits and, in many cases, help reduce emissions or conserve available resources.  During drought conditions, for instance, conserving hydro resources makes obvious sense. Considering that many utilities have to import fuel from distant suppliers, reducing fuel consumption can impact economics even further.
 
From another point of view, reducing line losses can improve the overall economics of a renewable resource, as more power can be delivered for the same initial investment.  While many renewable projects rely heavily on government subsidies to be economically viable (and competitive), a reduction in line losses can help substantially.
 
From a global perspective, if one-third of the 1.2 Trillion kWh of line losses could be reduced by upgrading existing primary lines with ACCC conductor, 400 billion kWh could be saved every year. It is important to note that in many cases the electric grid consists of many arteries, thus when the ACCC conductor is used in one of the connected arteries, it actually lowers the 'stress' on interconnected arteries which can help them operate more efficiently as well.
 
Currently we depend on many forms of generation to produce electricity.  While renewables produce little to no emissions, natural gas, oil, municipal waste and coal all do. While the conversion of natural gas to electricity produces 1.12 pounds of CO2 per kWh, coal produces 2.19 pounds of CO2 per kWh.  In the US, the average CO2 emissions from all combined sources including hydro, geothermal, nuclear and solar equate to 1.372 pounds of CO2 per kWh.  Using that value (which is considerably higher in many countries) a 1/3 reduction in line losses would equate to a CO2 emission reduction of nearly 250 million metric tons of CO2 per year.  That is the equivalent of taking nearly 50 million cars off the road.
 
From an oil-energy perspective, at a Btu conversion efficiency rate of 42%, the energy saved would equate to nearly 2 Billion barrels of oil per year.  Considering that many of our energy sources should be considered finite; the demand for energy continues to grow; and that without affordable and reliable electricity no economy in today's world can flourish; transmission and distribution efficiency really matters.  Bearing in mind the huge investments we have made improving the efficiency of supply side generators and demand side appliances, isn't it time we consider the grid itself where so much energy is lost in between?
 
Considering that a 1/3 reduction in line losses would save 400 billion kWh per year, it is also true that the generation currently used to produce those losses could be redirected. Assuming that this generation was operating at 100% capacity all of the time (which it would not), a reduction in line losses the ACCC conductor could offer would equate to building nearly 46,000 Megawatts of new generation.  If you consider that demand and generation fluctuates, the actual generation investment/requirement would be significantly higher. 
 
On a smaller scale, consider a 100 kilometer 220kV transmission line delivering 1,000 peak amps, with a load factor of 53%.  The use of an ACCC conductor compared to a conventional ACSR conductor would save about 20,000 kWh per year.  Assuming a peak load of 1,600 amps (comparing ACCC to ACSS), the savings would increase to about 73,000 kWh.  Converted into generation capacity savings the ACCC conductor would 'create' 8 to 28.8 MW of generation.  The numbers add up quickly as the two charts below explain.  When thinking about efficiency, please consider ACCC conductor.
 
 
 
Please take a look at a few of these very interesting articles

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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 several 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 ACCC.  Thank You.  

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In This Issue
ACCC Reduces Line Losses
Recent Articles & News
ACCC Technical Updates
Free Conductor Selection Software
Free Engineering Manual
Installation Videos

 

 Technical Updates 

 

     

 Why Carbon Fiber Composites?

 

In spite of the fact that the ACCC conductor has already been deployed to more than 260 projects in 28 countries, it is still considered relatively new, as it was first commercialized in 2005, just eight years ago. 

 

With that said, hybrid carbon and glass fiber composite materials have actually been in use for several decades in the most demanding applications where conventional materials couldn't offer the performance levels sought.  

 

Hybrid carbon and glass fiber materials were developed and selected not only for their high-strength, light-weight and corrosion resistance characteristics, they are also widely utilized for their excellent self-damping properties and resistance to cyclic load fatigue. 

 

In the world of bare overhead conductors, everything is cyclic including temperature, tension, vibration and stress.  The ACCC conductor, with its advanced composite core, has raised the performance bar substantially.  To learn more please visit CTC Global's website at:

 

 www.ctcglobal.com

 

 

 

 Free

Conductor Selection Software 

 

    

Responding to an ever-increasing demand to help select the most appropriate size of the highest performing ACCC conductor available, CTC Global has developed a new software program, CCP.

 

The program is available at no charge to utility planners, transmission engineers and others involved in conductor selection, project engineering and project economics. Using the design parameters associated with your specific project, CCP can calculate and compare ampacity, sag, tension, line losses, and the economics associated with the reduction in thermal sag and line losses the ACCC conductor offers compared to any other conductor of the same diameter and weight.

 

To receive a free copy of CCP:

  

CLICK HERE

 

Engineering with High-Capacity, Low-Sag ACCC Conductor 

 

 

To help T&D planners, engineers, and technicians take full advantage of the ACCC conductor's attributes, CTC Global has published a 250 page Engineering Manual. Contact CTC Global today to request a copy.

 

Request Your Free Copy!

  

CLICK HERE 

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