This Event will explore Darcy's refreshed technology landscape of grid enhancing technologies (GETs), as well as how utilities are increasingly considering their deployment as alternatives to traditional transmission grid upgrades.

Back in April, the power research team kicked off coverage of our recrafted grid-enhancing technologies (GET) landscape with a focus on dynamic line rating (DLR) solutions:

• Forum: Grid Enhancing Technologies: Early Movers of Dynamic Line Ratings
• Framework: Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) - Innovator Landscape

Since then, the power sector has experienced continued momentum for GETs, for example:

• EPRI’s GET SET initiative
• DOE GDO’s Pathway to Commercialization: Innovative Grid Deployment report
• BIL/IIJA via DOE grants, namely the GRIP program, which recently started its second round of awards in August 2024 (like the CHARGE 2T program in California)
• FERC’s Order 2023, which compels utilities to consider GETs when conducting generation interconnection studies
• FERC’s Order 1920, which compels utilities to consider GETs when conducting long-term planning studies
• FERC’s ANOPR on DLR, a step beyond FERC Order 881’s requirement of ambient-adjusted ratings

Needless to say, GETs are picking up steam within and beyond North America, therefore, the power research team will continue to get the word out regarding the deployment of innovative and impactful technologies.

This session will feature:

• Advanced Power Flow Controllers (APFC), the next-generation of power electronics-based hardware solutions that directly interconnect with high-voltage (HV) lines, which can be controlled to influence the way power flows through the transmission network. Generally, the "APFC" designation is applied to two types of solutions: static synchronous series compensators (SSSC) and unified power flow controllers (UPFC).
• Advanced Transmission Tower Construction, ways to expand existing transmission support structures, which can increase the amount of power transfer along existing rights of way (ROW).

While APFCs are commonly included within the suite of GETs, tower expansion is often the "lost" GET. Despite the lack of consensus definition for "GET", both solutions are very much united in spirit: to enhance the utilization of existing transmission infrastructure in a timely and cost-effective manner.

About the Innovators

Smart Wires provides a proprietary, high voltage (HV) advanced power flow controller (APFC) solution, which uses a modular, transformer-less, VSC-based SSSC design, aimed to help transmission grid operators enhance the utilization of existing infrastructure. Worthy to note, Darcy research indicates that Smart Wires is currently one of only two technology providers who have field-deployed SSSC products at high voltage.

Ampjack, leverages its proprietary hydraulic lifting solution to increase transmission line capacity by improving line-to-ground clearance. By raising power lines, utilities can allow more power to flow through them.

ExoGrid, launched in 2024 as a subsidiary of Ampjack, enables the expansion of existing transmission line rights of way using proprietary engineering processes and modular structures.