Image Courtesy: AssetCool
APAR Industries Limited has entered into a strategic arrangement with UK-based grid technology company AssetCool (Cable Coatings Limited) to bring advanced coated conductor technology to the power transmission market in India and international markets.
Under the agreement, AssetCool has granted APAR a commercial licence to procure and apply its proprietary SE01 (Surface Enhanced) photonic coating, along with the required application equipment. The arrangement will allow APAR to manufacture coated conductors and offer them to utilities and transmission infrastructure customers.
The companies have also agreed in principle to collaborate on the deployment of AssetCool’s robotic in-field coating technology. The solution is aimed at increasing the capacity of existing overhead transmission lines without requiring major changes to the existing infrastructure.
From R&D to Commercial Deployment
The agreement builds on more than five years of collaboration between APAR Industries and AssetCool. During this period, the companies have worked together on the development of SE01-coated aluminium conductors for overhead transmission applications.
The joint programme has included technology development, process optimisation, trials, testing, simulations and field evaluations. Equipment upgrades and independent validation by third-party laboratories have also supported the development programme.
According to the companies, the technology has now progressed from the development stage to a validated and scalable solution ready for commercial deployment.
AssetCool’s photonic coating is designed to improve the thermal performance of overhead conductors by reducing solar heat absorption while increasing thermal emissivity. The company states that SE01 can reduce conductor operating temperatures by up to 25% under comparable power-transfer conditions.
The technology can consequently enable up to a 30% increase in ampacity or approximately a 10% reduction in power losses, depending on operating conditions. The benefits are particularly relevant to High Temperature Low Sag (HTLS) conductors, where higher capacity and improved thermal performance are increasingly important.
Supporting New and Existing Transmission Lines
The technology is intended to address both new transmission projects and the upgrading of existing infrastructure.
For greenfield projects, factory-applied coatings can provide enhanced conductor performance from the outset without requiring changes to established installation practices. The coated conductors can be installed using existing tools, accessories and procedures.
For brownfield projects, coated HTLS conductors can be used as part of reconductoring programmes to further increase the power-transfer capability of existing transmission corridors.
The proposed robotic solution could provide another option for utilities. AssetCool’s in-situ coating technology is designed to coat existing conductors while transmission lines remain energised. This could allow utilities to increase transmission capacity without line shutdowns, dismantling or extensive infrastructure modifications.
Industry Perspective
Commenting on the development, Chaitanya N. Desai, Managing Director, APAR Industries Limited, said that increasing transmission capacity is becoming as important as generating additional power as the global energy sector evolves. He noted that advanced coated conductors could help utilities optimise and modernise their grids while improving efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
Manish Agrawal, CEO, Conductor and Telecom Businesses, APAR Industries Limited, said the collaboration would expand APAR’s portfolio of value-added conductor solutions. He added that combining advanced surface engineering with APAR’s conductor manufacturing capabilities could help utilities improve grid efficiency, reliability and asset life while reducing lifecycle losses.
Niall Coogan, CEO of AssetCool, said APAR’s position in advanced conductor manufacturing and AssetCool’s photonic coating technology offered significant potential for collaboration. He described the agreement as AssetCool’s first commercial licence with a major conductor manufacturer and said the companies would work towards commercialising the technology globally, followed by the deployment of robotic in-field uprating solutions.
With the agreement, APAR and AssetCool are positioning coated conductors as another technology option for utilities looking to increase transmission capacity, improve energy efficiency and make better use of existing grid infrastructure.
About APAR Industries
APAR Industries Limited has more than six decades of experience in electrical and energy infrastructure and supplies products to more than 140 countries. The company operates 10 manufacturing facilities in India and one in the UAE, with businesses spanning conductors, cables, transformer oils, lubricants and other specialised products.
About AssetCool
AssetCool is a UK-based grid technology company developing photonic coatings and robotic deployment systems for overhead power lines. Its technology is designed to improve conductor thermal performance and increase transmission capacity. The company’s solutions can be integrated into new conductors during manufacturing or applied to existing transmission lines using robotic systems.
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