Norwegian sensor provider Heimdall Power and Swiss weather intelligence firm Meteomatics have unveiled the results of a three-year partnership aimed at transforming the efficiency of high-voltage power transmission. The synergy between Heimdall's autonomous drone-mounted Neuron sensors and Meteomatics' cutting-edge weather prediction technology has yielded an average 30% increase in capacity across their European projects. This achievement empowers transmission system operators (TSOs) such as Swissgrid, Austrian Power Grid, and TenneT to fully tap into existing power line capacities.
The key to this technological leap lies in the integration of grid-enhancing technologies like dynamic line rating (DLR) with real-time weather insights. Heimdall's Neuron sensors, capable of monitoring temperature, current, and angle in real-time, are deployed on live high-voltage power lines using autonomous drones or hot stick methods. Paired with Meteomatics' application programming interface (API), offering over 1,800 weather data parameters, the combined solution predicts future power line capacity based on temperature data and anticipates the impact of weather events, such as icing and temperature fluctuations.
As the global demand for electricity is projected to surge in the coming decades, reaching up to three-quarters higher by 2050, optimizing existing power infrastructure becomes imperative. The Meteomatics and Heimdall Power partnership not only addresses this need but also aligns with the growing emphasis on integrating renewable energy sources into the grid. The companies are now expanding their footprint to the U.S. market, having achieved a remarkable 30% increase in transmission capacity in their European projects.
This innovative solution provides a timely response to the challenges posed by the intermittent nature of renewables, offering utilities and TSOs the ability to maximize their existing infrastructure efficiently. With Heimdall's Neuron sensors providing real-time grid capacity monitoring and Meteomatics' precise weather predictions, the collaboration is set to play a crucial role in shaping the future of power grid management.
Source: eepower.com