The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has announced $732,493 in funding towards Infravision. The funding will help its Next Generation Line Monitoring System, which aims to optimise grid performance and deliver faster, safer and more cost-efficient drone-enabled line enhancements to existing electrical infrastructure.

This innovation comes as an added feature to their TX System, a live line aerial stringing system providing a modernised alternative to traditional methods.

Infravision’s line monitoring technology consists of a sensor stack that can be installed by drone on transmission lines to provide real-time microclimatic data which can unlock additional transmission line capacity.

This data can be used to calculate a Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) that provides a more accurate and responsive measurement of transmission capacity, allowing higher volumes of electricity to be safely dispatched when conditions are suitable.

Safe line capacity can be affected by wind, temperature and nearby vegetation. Line sag caused by hot weather or high energy flows can cause cables to hang lower than usual, bringing them closer to trees and urban infrastructure that may be located below.

Currently, most transmission operators use static line ratings. These ratings make conservative assumptions to ensure that lines operate safely at all times, without knowledge of actual environmental conditions affecting the line. By calculating DLR using real-time, real-world conditions, transmission operators will be able to determine when it is safe to dispatch higher volumes of electricity on existing infrastructure.

The project will see Infravision deploy, test and enhance a fleet of Next Generation sensors on the New South Wales transmission network to provide Transgrid with high-fidelity data on selected lines. In the 2022 Integrated System Plan, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) identified $12.7 billion of new transmission projects required to underpin the transition to renewable energy over the next decade.

Infravision is an Australian technology start-up accelerating power grid modernisation with drone-enabled power line upgrades in Australia, the United States and other emerging markets.

ARENA chief executive Darren Miller says the Next Generation DLR solution could reduce the need for new transmission infrastructure and help accelerate the electricity transition.

“The electricity transition is going to require new generation and transmission on a massive scale. Infravision’s integrated Dynamic Line Rating solution can help get the most out of existing transmission lines,” Darren explains.

“Allowing an increased flow of electricity through existing assets reduces the need for new infrastructure, keeping down costs for consumers and network operators.”