Insulating Against Pollution Challenges on Distribution Networks
IBM Energy21C Breakfast Forum
Smart Grid Planning and Implementation
Insulating Against Pollution Challenges on Distribution Networks
When: 12.40pm – 1.00pm Monday 7th September
Location: Lunch Area of Technical Exhibition
Presenter: Gordon Chessum, Technical Manager, EMC Pacific Pty Ltd
Worldwide, distribution networks are exposed to pollution and contamination. This may be the result of industry, mining, farming practices, elements of nature, or the results of natural disasters.
Environmental influences, such as prolonged periods of no rainfall, allow these pollutants and contaminants to build up on the surface of insulators, cross arms and associated distribution equipment. In dry conditions, pollutants and contaminants on the surface do not significantly adversely affect the performance of insulators, however when salt based pollutants combine with moisture, mists and dew they ionize to form a conductive solution on the surface of insulators providing a leakage path for current leading to increased distribution losses, tracking and erosion, accelerated aging of equipment and in the extreme pole top fires. Often the moisture incident on the surface is insufficient to wash the surface and thus carry the conductive ionic salt solution away.
Careful selection of the material insulators are manufactured from and the applied surface treatments can minimize the leakage current across contaminated insulator surfaces. Surfaces that are hydrophobic create a high surface tension with water thus moisture will bead and form discreet droplets rather than a continuous conductive sheet or film that permits leakage currents to flow.
Australia has endured a 12 year period of below average rainfall. Subsequently pollution resistance of insulators and the longevity of hydrophobic properties in service have become more critical than ever. Through a significant R&D investment, EMC Pacific has brought forward to industry new understandings and developments in non-ceramic hydrophobic insulator technology.
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IBM Energy21C Breakfast Forum
Time: 7.00am – 8.15am Tuesday 8 September
Location: Level 2, Room 212/213
Presenter/s: Guido Bartels, Vice President, Energy and Utilities, IBM
David Murray, General Manager Communications Sector, IBM
Andrew Blyth, Chief Executive Officer, Energy Networks Association
Evan Thornley, Chief Executive Officer, Betterplace
Energy networks around the globe, faced with an ever intensifying and interconnected set of challenges, are looking for even smarter ways of doing business. Customers, employees, regulators, investors and other stakeholders are increasingly looking to energy networks to address challenges faced relating to global warming and to take actions that produce genuine environment and financial results.
Today, Australia‘s energy demand is projected to grow by 36.8% by 2030. The Australian Government has committed to reduce green house gas emissions by as much as 15% by 2020. To address this, Australia needs an intelligent platform of systems capable of detecting outages before they occur, systems adept in analysing customer energy usage, transforming energy consumption through proactive involvement of consumers, and capable of integrating renewable energy. However there are some challenges to overcome.
Join our panel of industry leaders who will explore the inhibitors and challenges facing both the industry and the Government on the path to transform Australia‘s energy distribution network. The panel will share their insight from a local, international, industry and advisory perspective on the $100M stimulus injection into Australia‘s Smart Grid network.
Bookings essential, reserve your seat during the online registration process
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Smart Grid Planning and Implementation
Time: 12.40pm – 1.00pm Tuesday 8 September
Location: Lunch Area of Technical Exhibition
Presenter: Simon Ferneyhough, Intergraph Business Development Manager U&C, SGI Asia Pacific
Many use the term “Smart Grid”. The “Smart Grid” is actually the application of many technologies to improve the efficiency of delivery of electricity and ultimately improve overall efficiency by levelling and managing demand. It is as much demand side management and using distributed energy resources like PHEV (Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicles) as it is grid modernisation and carbon policies to reduce dependence on fossil fuels for generation.
The speaker will discuss modernisation of the control room as a critical component of any Smart Grid initiative. Today, we have many systems in the control room, in most cases, each with a different user interface. It’s a complex world of tables, lists, maps, and screens. Modernisation of the control room will see convergence of these systems into a common operational view for network control.
The focus will be on the Smart Grid command-andcontrol centre currently under development at Oncor, Texas, USA. With a plan to deploy smart meter devices to more than 3 million customers over the next 12 months, the Oncor project will be a landmark in modernisation of the USA electricity grid.
