Page 41 - Industrial Plants

are expected to surge even more in the near future, “The transmission sector that for
making up a significant share of overall investments in decades has been relatively stable
the power sector (Figure 2) from a technological and design point
of view, using largely standard, off-
The paradigm shift in the power sector is also changing the-shelf components, is facing new
the average size and complexity of transmission challenges to transport much larger
projects. A sector that for decades has been relatively quantities of energy and for longer
stable from a technological and design point of view, distances than in the past, preserving
using largely standard, off-the-shelf components, is system stability and power quality
facing new challenges to transport much larger
quantities of energy and for longer distances than in
the past, preserving system stability and power quality development of transmission networks? In most of the
on wider interconnected footprints even in the presence world, and especially in those areas where electricity
of the loosely predictable power fluctuations brought demand density is highest, land is at premium, and
by renewable generation. This not only requires a large nobody wants an overhead line over or close to his/her
increase in digitization across the industry, but also house. In a typical example of NYMBY syndrome,
makes strong skills indispensable for managing everyone wants/needs a reliable, resilient, and
complex cross-industry projects, especially for subsea environmentally friendly electricity system, but no one
HVDC projects (project management, supply chain wants to see it. Still, electricity must be transported in
management, risk control, cables engineering and larger quantities and at longer distances than in the
installation, offshore execution, etc.). A solid multi- past. Power cables provide an alternative solution to
sector technological know-how is also needed to make overhead lines on in land installations and they are the
the right choices in a rapidly evolving context, which only solution for long submarine interconnections. They
often requires custom solutions to tackle the correct also have clear resiliency advantages because they
balance between many conflicting and sometimes don’t suffer extreme winds, ice or wet snow, conditions
uncertain dimensions (e.g., proven vs. new that may put out of service, sometimes for long time,
technologies, immediate vs. future needs, costs, traditional overhead lines.
timeliness, etc.). HVDC cables provide further help, because they
What role can be played by cables, and particularly have little to no electromagnetic emissions, a topic
HVDC cables, in this badly needed accelerated which raises increasing – if not scientifically

Figure 2 - Cumulative investments in generation, distribution and transmission ($Bn | 2019-40).
Source: IEA World Energy Outlook 2019

IndustrIal Plants - September 2021
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