Technology that will increase the flow of energy in American power lines and reduce prices for consumers is coming to the United States. According to reporting in Inside Climate News, grid-enhancing technology that could increase capacity by up to 42.8% is on its way.
Midwestern energy company Great River Energy is buying "Neurons," or "Magic Balls," from a Scandinavia-based company. These eight-pound spheres, produced by Norwegian company Heimdall Power, sit on power lines to monitor the temperature of the line and provide data to controllers.
The capacity of a power line to deliver different amounts of energy is determined primarily by its temperature. With updated data from Heimdall's Neurons, operators can tell when a line is operating under or over capacity in real time and adjust the energy flow accordingly.
According to the article, factors such as wind strength and external temperatures can impact the heat on the line and increase or decrease its capacity for transmission.
This ability to monitor and react to the capacity of the power grid will benefit consumers in two ways. If operators can push more power through the system, it will increase the energy supply relative to its demand and reduce costs for consumers. It will also allow clean-energy plants such as wind farms to increase their output and the total clean-energy share in our energy economy.
The value of wind power is becoming more obvious with new funding. The East Coast of the United States is poised to see a larger portion of its grid powered by offshore wind as investment soars. According to Reuters, the phenomenal results of wind power have led to billions of dollars in new investment.
Energy generated from motion-based technology, such as hydroelectric or wind, is more difficult to store than the energy in static compounds like coal. When the power grid is at capacity, infrastructure like this will have to shut down because the energy cannot be stored.
According to the report, the magic balls allow new lanes to be opened for transmission, meaning the likelihood of an overloaded grid renewable source shutdowns will be lower. Reducing shutdowns by increasing the capacity of the power grid through technologies like these is essential.
This kind of grid-enhancement technology is a key part of updating the energy structure to fight climate change. While the grid will need to be expanded to meet energy demands, grid-enhancement technologies are cheaper and represent a quick fix that benefits consumers and the planet immediately.
🗣️ Do you unplug any appliances before going to bed?
🔘 YES 👍
🔘 NO 👎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Reddit users reacted under a post about the reporting.
One user commented: "Cool. So finally we can fully utilize the capacity of transmissions."
Another wrote: "We have this on our grid. Variable line rating is pretty neat."
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
Cool Picks
