Let’s reimagine energy and power transmission

Galvorn is a lightweight, strong, and conductive critical material to the energy transition

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.

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Galvorn ACNT cables will save the clean energy grid $100,000 per mile

DexMat and Prysmian—the world leader in cable manufacturing, energy solutions, telecom cables and systems industry—are co-developing new Aluminum–Carbon Nanotube (ACNT) power cables. Funded by a $1.1 million U.S. Department of Energy grant, ACNT cables replace the incumbent steel or carbon fiber core with Galvorn to have improved thermal and electrical conductivity, reduce weight, and increase breaking and tensile strengths. These improvements minimize the number of cable support towers needed and reduce the total cost to taxpayers by an estimated $100,000 per mile as America expands its clean energy grid.

Lightweight cabling, big impact

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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.

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