Shaping the future of global energy delivery

Globally, the increasing power demand is coupled with environmental constraints and strong competition that require advanced solutions for global power transmission. System reliability and congestion relief are imperative under dynamic market conditions to ensure that transmission systems provide a steady return on investment and cash flow as well as operate with the flexibility and security that will be required to serve future demand and load growth. Given all of the factors that must be balanced, the one certainty is that new technology will be a key enabler to move transmission investment forward and increase capacity. A few of the innovations that have the potential to shape the future of the global power system are already available or will soon be commercially available. Some, but definitely not all, of these new technologies are briefly discussed in this article including flexible AC transmission system (FACTS), HVDC transmission, short current limiters, overhead lines, gas insulated transmission lines, gas insulated switchgear, and grid connected wind generation.