How National Grid is Boosting New York Power Line Efficiency
More than 40% of CO2 emissions come from the burning of fossil fuels for electricity generation.
Transitioning to renewable energy is vital to reduce this and prevent catastrophic climate change, but current power grids often do not have the flexibility to handle the fluctuating supply.
Upgrading power grids to accommodate a clean energy supply is a lengthy process, but improving the efficiency of power lines can help in the meantime.
To do this, National Grid has deployed dynamic line rating (DLR) technology on transmission lines in Upstate New York in collaboration with LineVision.
Brian Gemmell, Chief Operating Officer, Electric Operations for New York at National Grid, says: “Dynamic Line Ratings are a start to helping us make decisions on how to plan and operate the grid, further unlocking renewables and reducing transmission congestion for New Yorkers.”
New York State’s first DLR project
Following a successful pilot, National Grid has deployed LineVision’s patented LineRate DLR software and sensor platform in Upstate New York.
The patented non-contact sensors are now operational on four 115kV transmission lines.
LineVision’s system is provisioning automated, condition-specific line ratings to National Grid’s transmission control room.
The increased magnitude from this technology has boosted renewable energy generation carried over these lines.
LineVision is also being deployed on some National Grid lines in the UK.
National Grid
National Grid is a British multinational electricity and gas utility company, providing electricity and natural gas in the UK and Northeastern US.
Founded in 1990, the company has more than 31,000 employees and had a revenue of US$26.9bn in 2023.
John Pettigrew, Group CEO at National Grid, says: “National Grid is committed to shaping a sustainable economy for all, in partnership with others in our industry and beyond.”
The company is targeting net zero for its emissions by 2050.
LineVision
LineVision is a climate tech company that provides electric utilities with the real-time monitoring and analytics needed to unlock the net-zero grid.
Its non-contact sensors and software solution combine for reliable DLRs, line monitoring and grid analytics.
Founded in 2018, the company is headquartered in Massachusetts, US.
Hudson Gilmer, Co-Founder and CEO at LineVision, says: “With accelerating load growth and congestion, a diverse set of solutions is crucial to enhancing grid capacity, starting with maximising the potential of the existing grid.”
LineVision works with partners including Microsoft and the US Department of Energy.
Dynamic Line Ratings
DLR aims to maximise the load of electric power transmission without compromising safety.
Usually, electric power lines have much more capacity than is being used and utilities rely on very conservative estimates to prevent lines from overheating.
Hudson explains: “Dynamic Line Ratings can unlock up to 40% additional capacity on current lines, and bridge the gap until new transmission projects are completed, which can take over 15 years.”
Jonathan Marmillo, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at LineVision, says: “Utilities currently operate with ‘static ratings’ for their transmission lines, which essentially act like a speed limit for how much power they can flow over the lines.”
LineVision’s sensors use lasers to track movement in power lines which helps to understand if the lines are sagging or overheating.
It also tracks weather, as surrounding temperatures and winds change how much heat lines can tolerate.
National Grid’s partnerships for innovation
National Grid says expanding its grid is critical to the energy transition.
Its corporate venture and innovation arm, National Grid Partners, scouts and invests in new technologies to ensure its existing grid is being used efficiently and to create new infrastructure.
Launched in 2018, National Grid Partners has invested more than US$450m in dozens of startup companies including LineVision,
Steve Smith, President of National Grid Partners, said: “We have invested about half a billion dollars in over 50 diverse companies that can help with different aspects of the energy transition.
“This ranges from hardware, new technologies to deploy on our networks and software that can help customers with the transition.”
The company is also exploring advanced conductors and superconductors.
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