Transmission Technologies and Technical Developments: Cable vs. Overhead – AC vs. DC – Innovations

8 September 2010 | TenneT Headquarters, Arnhem, The Netherlands

Today it is broadly accepted that the share of renewable energy sources in the European power grid is going to increase substantially and will reach very high percentages in the future production mix. Grid expansion is inevitable to allow for this “renewable revolution”!

But grid expansion is often controversial. The Transmission System Operators (TSOs) need to accommodate not only the 2020 targets but also to prepare for the more challenging full de-carbonisation of the power sector by 2050. The NGO community is still not united with respect to supporting or opposing grid expansion.

A number of technical, environmental and health questions need to be addressed and clarified to improve a shared understanding among and across TSOs and NGOs. A better understanding will help RGI members and interested stakeholders, in general, to communicate issues regarding grid expansion and become more transparent and effective when dealing with political uncertainties and public opposition.

Due to the variety and complexity of the subjects two workshops will be organized. The first one will cover the technical aspects. It will take place on 8 September 2010 at the headquarters of TenneT in Arnhem, the Netherlands. The second one will cover the environment and health aspects. The host of the second workshop will be defined at a later stage. Participants are strongly invited to participate to both events as they depend on each other. The results of the workshops will feed in a stakeholder conference which will take place end of October in Brussels.

Find below a few impressions and the presentations made at the workshop.

Find and download below the presentations made at the Technical Workshop on 8 September 2010 in Arnhem, NL:

Grid planning beyond sub-regional and national borders - ENTSO-E's Ten-Year Network Development Plan
(Dr Mihai Paun, ENTSO-E)

Super grids and smart grids, system flexibility
(Prof. Tim Green, Imperial College London)

Technical developments in HV network from a TSO perspective
(Alan Croes, TenneT)

Lines and cable applications
(Bo Westmann, ABB)

National grid - Legal system in the Netherlands
(Hanneke Brouwer, Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs)

Project reality I - the Netherlands - 20km AC-cabling 380kV in the Randstad area study and monitoring
(Dr Marjan Popov, TU Delft)

Project reality II - Germany - Project status of the 380kv line Wahle - Mecklar
(Jens Siegmann, transpower)

Project reality II - Germany - Underground cabes and environmental impacts - the Thuringia line
(Wilfried Fischer, 50Hertz Transmission)