ABB, Zurich, Switzerland, says it recently achieved a breakthrough in cable technology. The company announced in a press release that it had successfully developed and tested a 525kV extruded high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable system to make renewable energy installations more efficient and cost-effective.
ABB says this latest innovation will more than double the power capacity to about 2,600MW from 1,000 MW. It will also expand the cable’s reach to distances of 1,500 kilometers, up from less than 1,000 kilometers, while keeping transmission losses under 5%. The new cable offers a 64% increase over 320 kV, currently the highest voltage deployed for this type of technology. The 525kV cable system can be deployed in subsea and underground applications, making it ideal for efficient power delivery through densely populated or environmentally sensitive areas or coastal and open-sea applications.