US to upgrade transmission infrastructure
Upgrades will include deploying modern grid technologies such as high-performance conductors and dynamic line ratings that enable existing transmission lines to carry more power.
Image for illustration purposes.
USA, Washington: US President Joe Biden has announced plans to upgrade 100000 miles of transmission lines over the next five years, with funding available through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) program. The program recently closed applications for up to $2.7 billion in US Department of Energy (DoE) grant funding under a second round. Projects to be funded are those that will upgrade and modernize the transmission and distribution system to increase reliability and resilience to prepare the grid for extreme weather, while ensuring the delivery of affordable clean electricity. Upgrades will include deploying modern grid technologies such as high-performance conductors and dynamic line ratings that enable existing transmission lines to carry more power.
Recent research from University of California, Berkeley and the consultancy GridLab showed that large-scale reconductoring could unlock renewables near existing transmission networks. The study projected that the optimal added transmission capacity by 2050, allowing for reconductoring, would be about 110000 GW-miles with restricted buildout, or about 210000 GW-miles with unrestricted buildout. The DoE’s estimates state that 54500 GW-miles of additional within-region transmission capacity are needed for a clean grid. All these efforts align with the move to clean energy as supported by the IRA and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Source: pv-magazine.com
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