The growing demand for electricity and the rapid expansion of renewable energy are placing increasing pressure on transmission infrastructure. Utilities need to transfer more power through transmission networks while improving energy efficiency, reducing losses and making better use of available infrastructure.

For new transmission projects, there is a need for higher-capacity and thermally efficient conductors that can deliver greater performance from the outset. For existing transmission lines, increasing power transfer capacity can require reconductoring or other network upgrades, while the construction of new transmission corridors can involve significant time, cost and infrastructure challenges. In both cases, conductor operating temperature, thermal performance, power losses and sag can limit the efficient utilisation of transmission capacity.

Through its strategic collaboration with AssetCool, APAR is offering advanced photonic-coated overhead conductors that can enhance the performance of both new and existing transmission infrastructure.

Incorporating AssetCool's proprietary SE01 photonic coating, the conductors are engineered with low solar absorptivity and high thermal emissivity, enabling passive thermal management by reducing solar heat absorption and improving heat dissipation. By lowering conductor operating temperatures by up to 25% under comparable power transfer scenarios, the technology can enable up to 30% higher ampacity or approximately 10% lower power losses.

For new transmission projects, the coating can be applied to conductors during manufacturing, enabling utilities to deploy higher-capacity and thermally efficient conductors from the outset while using established installation tools, accessories and practices.

For existing transmission lines, the technology offers two potential pathways. Utilities can replace existing conductors with APAR's advanced coated conductors, including coated HTLS conductors, to increase transmission capacity and enhance thermal performance. In addition, APAR and AssetCool have agreed in principle to collaborate, in due course, on the deployment of AssetCool's robotic in-situ coating technology, which can enable suitable existing conductors to be coated directly in the field while the line remains energised.

This combination of factory-applied coated conductors for new-build and reconductoring projects, together with future robotic in-situ coating for suitable existing lines, provides utilities with a scalable pathway to increase transmission capacity, improve thermal efficiency, reduce losses and optimise both new and existing grid infrastructure.