SBIR/STTR Research Award
Increased Energy Efficiency: Applications of Highly Conductive Aluminum Covetic
Award amount
$150,000Program and phase
SBIR · Phase IAward year
2016Award details
- Awarding agency
- Department of Energy
- Branch
- Not reported
- Recipient company
- GDC Industries LLC
- Proposal award date
- 2016-02-19
- Contract end date
- 2016-08-21
- UEI
- Not reported
- Solicitation number
- DE-FOA-0001366
- Topic code
- 12b
Research abstract
The electrical energy transmission and distribution system in the United States loses 6% on average of the energy because of system inefficiencies. The energy inefficiency of electrical conductors accounts for the majority of these losses. The use of highly efficient conductors can improve energy efficiency by 50%. The development of a highly efficient aluminum conductor will deliver a 50% improvement in the transmission and distribution of electrical energy. Aluminum infused with nanocarbons via a special electrical process can provide this improvement by increasing the electrical conductivity of aluminum. Nanocarbons offer significant increases in energy efficiency as electrical conductors. The ability to incorporate them into metals allows the United States to unlock their potential. Aluminum covetic will create the next generation of electrical conductors that will offer the country a 50% improvement in energy efficiency of our electrical energy transmission and distribution network.
Commercial Application and Other Benefits: Ohmic losses across the system are a major loss mechanism in transmission lines and in transformer windings. Replacing aluminum conductors with the more energy efficient covetic will cut Ohmic losses by 50%, ensuring a 50% energy savings in service over current commercial conductors. The US has produced roughly 172 quads of electricity since 2000. 10.8 quads have been lost because of inefficiencies in the T&D system. A 50% improvement in transmission efficiency would have save roughly 5.4 quads.
Technology keywords
Not reported
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