High Current 10kV DC Superconducting Transmission Lines and Grid Architecture

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Program:
OPEN 2021
Award:
$2,882,932
Location:
WOBURN, Massachusetts
Status:
ACTIVE
Project Term:
07/01/2022 - 06/30/2025
Website:

Critical Need:

Recent studies have indicated that U.S. transmission capacity may need to triple by 2050 to support wind and solar generation expansion. The siting and permitting of new high-power, high-voltage infrastructure using tall towers and wide rights-of-way (ROWs) hinder the needed expansion of the electric grid. A major new transmission project often requires 10 or more years to move from planning, development, approval, and financing to construction and operation. A cost-effective way to address these problems could be the use of high power 10 kV DC lines using high temperature superconductors (HTS).

Project Innovation + Advantages:

VEIR aims to enable the cost-effective transfer of bulk electric power (up to 400 MW) at a single voltage (10 kV) from generation to grid using high temperature superconducting (HTS) overhead and underground power lines. The team proposes to integrate VEIR’s existing distributed, evaporative liquid nitrogen cooling architecture for HTS lines with breakthroughs in two key areas (1) high ampacity (maximum current) low-loss conductors and (2) ultra-low heat leak insulation systems. The proposed project will enable the development of high current 10 kV power lines, allowing significantly more power to be carried on shorter towers and in narrower ROWs compared with conventional technology. VEIR’s proposed approach overcomes the reliability and cost challenges of previous HTS cables. VEIR’s HTS lines will enable faster integration of renewables and support more rapid electrification of end uses.

Potential Impact:

End-to-end high capacity 10kV DC overlays of AC grids could massively accelerate decarbonization of the grid by enabling transmission levels of power (200-400 MW) to be transported in distribution ROWs.

Security:

By using high current, medium voltage end-to-end infrastructure stretching from generation to load, VEIR’s HTS lines can potentially improve grid efficiency, reliability, and security.

Environment:

VEIR’s technology will accelerate decarbonization with faster, less expensive integration of renewables and more rapid electrification of end uses, including transportation.

Economy:

Single voltage DC systems could offer far simpler expansion of electricity grids. Modular DC converters could be developed in standardized sizes and deployed at neighborhood scale, achieving massive economies of scale in DC conversion.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Isik Kizilyalli
Project Contact:
Dr. Timothy Heidel
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
tim@veir.com

Partners

Los Alamos National Laboratory

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Release Date:
02/11/2021