Make green energy more efficient, reliable and safe
Distributed, intermittent renewable power sources create natural load and phase imbalances at the interconnect to the grid. This results in a degradation of efficiency (loss of revenue), equipment life (higher replacement costs), and power quality (“dirty power” that damages rate payer electronics). These effects represent increasing challenges as the percentage of renewable sources continues to grow. The Line Ranger network provides the real-time data required to monitor, reduce, and help eliminate these effects, helping to make the transition to green energy both practical and successful.
Identify, track and trace losses in real-time.
The Line Ranger network can identify, track and trace losses in substations and feeders in real-time. It can provide a health assessment, separating technical losses from commercial losses (such as theft) and providing a permanent data record and analytics to enable those losses to be recouped. It also provides situational awareness and fault anticipation, noting abnormal conditions instantly, enabling mitigation before a fault or other disruptive event occurs. The Line Ranger network can be deployed throughout the grid and communicates line status and performance through a wireless network of the utility’s choosing.
Expand powerline capacity and predict remaining line lifetimes.
The Line Analyzer software utilizes real-time and accurate data from the Line Ranger sensors continuously. This enables “dynamic line rating” to maximize the line capacity under all conditions. It also has algorithms to predict the remaining lifetime of powerlines. The lifetime prediction allows utility operators to prioritize infrastructure investments, lowering operations and maintenance costs, and further increasing overall capacity.
Prevent and mitigate fires ignited by powerlines.
Wildfires are becoming increasingly pervasive and destructive and powerlines are a common cause The Line Ranger Network is the first to be able to monitor the conditions directly on and around the lines The Line Ranger network can directly sense parameters that represent increasing fire risk, including fast-changing wind speed, abnormal current and voltage loading, shorts and faults. higher ambient temperature, lower relative humidity and weaker interconnects. This data can prevent fires by signaling to shut down power where warranted while keeping power on when safe. It can mitigate fires once ignited by providing immediate and critical data from the point of origin, dramatically reducing response times and evacuation orders as needed. It can help with continuous improvement by providing actual location data to load into complex models and analytics.