Let’s reimagine energy and power transmission

Lightweight, strong, and carbon-negative at scale

The US energy system is transitioning to renewable sources (wind, solar) while electrification is underway for transport, residential and commercial heating, and industrial processes. Together these drivers call for a major upgrade of the US electrical grid in terms of capacity and connectivity.

Lightweight cabling, big impact

power-lines

Current grid conductors are based on aluminum (or sometimes copper) reinforced with steel and must be supported by massive steel towers with concrete foundations. Electrical conductivity alone is not the deciding factor in grid conductors; in fact, aluminum is normally preferred to copper because of its lower density. By using Galvorn in transmission cables, we estimate we can reduce the cable weight by at least 20%, increase the breaking strength by 120%, and increase the tensile modulus by 30%, while maintaining ampacity.

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Less steel, less concrete means less cost

Using Galvorn in power transmission lines can dramatically improve performance (lighter and stronger) while reducing the total cost to install. You need fewer steel structures supported by concrete to hold these lines up! Steel and concrete are notoriously GHG-intensive. By using less, we can further reduce the emissions associated with the modern clean grid.

Did you know

10 million miles of new transmission cable will be needed for the clean grid

The International Energy Agency estimates that 10 million miles of new transmission lines will be needed to connect renewables to the planet’s grids in the next decades. Additional cabling needs will occur as the energy transition proceeds over the next three decades. It's a common misunderstanding that better grid power transmission requires improvements in electrical conductivity solely.

Did you know

Overhead transmission lines have several technical requirements

The technical requirements for overhead transmission lines are electrical/thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, and lightweight. Additionally, subsurface installations (land/water) need stable (non-corroding) materials. This combination of properties dictates grid design, cost, reliability, and power capacity.

Did you know

Grid conductors rely on composite structures to overcome material limitations

Currently, no single material solution exists for grid power transmission that combines superior electrical, thermal, mechanical, and linear density properties. To overcome these material limitations, current grid conductors rely on composite structures that combine a (relatively) lightweight conductor (conductor-grade Aluminum (Al) alloy, or Copper (Cu) in smaller cables) with a structural reinforcement (steel, carbon fiber,etc). This approach leads to expensive supply chains and complex recycling.

A carbon-negative solution for a climate-positive grid

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Galvorn possesses ideal properties that align with transmission line design criteria. It also has the potential to further improve with technological advancements, while other core materials have reached their technological limits. Last but not least, aluminum alloys, steel, and carbon fibers all have high CO2and environmental footprints. Increased use of these materials for grid expansion and reconductoring will come with significant additional CO2 emissions and loss of land and habitat to bauxite mining (the world’s main source of aluminum).

What will you build with Galvorn?

When we’ve been using some materials for millennia–or even decades–it can be hard to imagine the world differently.

Explore Galvorn World to learn about the numerous applications possible and the downsides of incumbent materials, including:

Kevlar

Carbon Fiber

Copper

Aluminum

Steel

Explore Galvorn World
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