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FORINFRA-Nasj.sats. forskn.infrastrukt

Future distribution and transmission electrical grid components lab

Alternative title: Høyspenningslaboratorier for fremtidens kraftkomponenter

Awarded: NOK 29.3 mill.

ElpowerLab will be a national and international resource for research on the future electric grid components and related topics. The laboratory facility will be made available to national and international researchers and industry. The aim is to develop reliable electric power apparatuses for electrification and future energy systems by increasing the understanding of fundamental high voltage breakdown phenomena and aging mechanisms relevant to electrical load patterns and stresses expected. ElpowerLab consists of a collection of pulsed voltage sources and current source that can emulate stresses from power electronic converters and dynamic load patterns, ultrafast cameras and electrical acquisition instruments to investigate high voltage and breakdown phenomena on nanosecond scale, and a material characterization laboratory to investigate the impact on electrical, mechanical and chemical properties in materials. ElpowerLab can contribute to following R&D challenges: - What will be the anticipated electrical load patterns and stresses in future power grids? - How will the introduction of distributed renewable sources affect the stress and load patterns? - How will the electrification of the transport sector increase the service stress? - What are the key technologies needed that will provide the anticipated stresses? - An understanding of the aging and pre-breakdown phenomena in relevant materials, insulation systems and components, and how these scale/ are influenced by relevant stresses and load patterns. - Design and development of appropriate testing techniques and protocols for primary components in the future grid. - Provide knowledge bases for development of reliable and high-performing materials and components that can withstand the future stresses from renewables and the power grid. Details about equipment and access to ElpowerLab is found at: www.sintef.no/projectweb/elpowerlab .

The project seeks to establish a national and international resource for research on the future electric grid components and related topics. The laboratory facility will be made available to national and international researchers and industry. The aim is to develop reliable electric power apparatuses for future energy systems by increasing the understanding of fundamental high voltage breakdown phenomena and aging mechanisms relevant to electrical load patterns and stresses expected in future power (and renewables) grids. The following R&D challenges are identified: - What will be the anticipated electrical load patterns and stresses in future power grids? - How will the introduction of distributed renewable sources affect the stress and load patterns? - How will the electrification of the transport sector increase the service stress? - What are the key technologies needed that will provide the anticipated stresses? - An understanding of the aging and pre-breakdown phenomena in relevant materials, insulation systems and components, and how these scale/ are influenced by relevant stresses and load patterns. - Design and development of appropriate testing techniques and protocols for primary components in the future grid. - Provide knowledge bases for development of reliable and high-performing materials and components that can withstand the future stresses from renewables and the power grid.

Funding scheme:

FORINFRA-Nasj.sats. forskn.infrastrukt

Funding Sources