INCA – Increased Capacity in New and Existing Power Grids
The INCA project (Increased Capacity in New and Existing Power Grids) will develop software and new technology to increase utilization of the existing cable grid and increase transmission capacity by 20 to 70%. By modeling time-varying current , available capacity in the grid will be identified and made available. This will provide more flexibility to operate the grid efficiently.
INCA will develop and integrate REN’s software for calculating transmission capacity, Grøft Design®, with real-time monitoring of cable installations from SafeBase. This enables utility companies to utilize the true transmission capacity of the cable grid.
Today, capacity calculations are performed using table lookups in national standards, software based on established IEC standards, or general-purpose simulation software based on numerical methods. The first two offer limited flexibility, while the last requires expert competence, is computationally intensive, and is specific to each individual cable installation.
SINTEF Energi will research strategies and methods to make such numerical models both flexible and computationally efficient so they can be used in Grøft Design®. To verify the electrothermal models, SINTEF Energi will conduct scaled laboratory experiments and compare models with data collected from cables in service.
Better utilization of existing the cable grid will provide significant socio-economic and environmental benefits:
- By reducing the use of resource-intensive raw materials like aluminum and copper
- Reducing land degradation by offsetting development of new infrastructure
- Increasing capacity for connecting renewable power generation, especially wind and solar
- Making more transmission capacity available to customers faster than through new grid investments
- Increasing the capacity of charging infrastructure, leading to lower CO₂ emissions from industry and transport
INCA will run over three years from 2024 - 2027 and has a budget of 32 million NOK.