The consequence of the protection not being released during short circuiting is hot conductors and components, which in turn could cause fire. The cost of strengthening the network to a sufficient grid strength is estimated at between 9 and 33 billion NOK.
The main idea behind the OptiNett project is to reduce costs by facilitating new methods that guarantee safe disconnection of short circuits in weak low voltage networks and the connected customer installations. Cost estimates show that the use of alternative solutions can reduce the investment requirement by up to 80% in some cases.
The network company manages a socially critical infrastructure and therefore places high demands on safety and reliability when introducing new products or methods. For the grid companies to be able to use alternative solutions that ensure safe disconnection, it is therefore necessary that the equipment is tested, verified and documented.
This will be done in the project through detailed risk analyses, simulations and experiments carried out in the national smart grid laboratory.
The project will help to increase the safety of the low-voltage grid and in the customers' low-voltage installations by ensuring that areas where it is not possible to guarantee safe disconnection can be remedied more quickly than using current solutions. The planning methodology that will be developed will enable network planners to make more optimal investment decisions. This will result in a socio-economic benefit.
Project participants:
- Energi Norge
- Agder Energi Nett
- Helgeland Kraft Nett
- Istad Nett
- Lyse Elnett
- NVE
- REN
- Skagerak Nett
- Tensio (NTE Nett + TrønderEnergi Nett)
The project is an Innovation Project for the Industrial Sector financed by the Research Council of Norway.