Underground power cables remote monitoring by a smart control system based on a novel optical sensor platform

Project Information

CableSENS

Grant agreement ID: 728867

DOI

10.3030/728867

Project closed

EC signature date 23 May 2016

Start date 1 April 2016

End date 30 September 2016

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

LUMIKER APLICACIONES TECNOLOGICAS SOCIEDAD LIMITADA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CableSENS (Underground power cables remote monitoring by a smart control system based on a novel optical sensor platform)

Reporting period: 2016-04-01 to 2016-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Electricity Transmission and Distribution System Operators are facing growing regulatory burdens worldwide to ensure a resilient, safe and energy efficient electricity supply at cost-competitive prices. However, there is a consensus about the lack of cost-effective solutions to meet the monitoring challenges of critical assets such underground power cables. Fiber-Optical Current Sensors (FOCS) based on photonics have been pointed out since decades ago as a key enabling technology of the next generation of power asset protection and monitoring solutions for the development of the Smart Grids. But so far, only a few high-cost solutions targeted to asset protection have been translated into the market.

CableSENS System is the first monitoring solution adapted to underground power cables challenging operating conditions based on LUMIKER’s patent-pending FOCS technological design enabling remotely and real time accurate electric current measurements with inexpensive materials.

CableSENS project aims to accelerate the last development stage of this novel photonic based Smart Grid solution and adapt LUMIKER’s capacities for ensuring a successful market uptake.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

LUMIKER has validated the overall technical and financial feasibility of CableSENS project and the business potential of CableSENS system:

- The original project objectives, approach and impact remain basically the same
- Industrial and commercial feasibility of CableSENS System has been assessed
- CableSENS commercialization feasible by early 2019
- Different configurations of CableSENS system adapted for two niche applications
- The IPR Freedom to operate for the new functionalities has been validated
- Although no competitor threat currently exists, LUMIKER must meet the demands by placing CableSENS system on the market within 2 years
- CableSENS system first target market are the TSO and DSO companies in Europe USA and LATAM.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

CableSENS system is the first cost effective monitoring solution for underground power assets with a unique set of functionalities: cable fault discrimination, cable status monitoring, cable fault location and cable fault prediction. It will have a direct impact in:
- Electric power industry: higher continuity of supply, a lower energy supply loss, and lower operating and maintenance costs
- Society due to the negative effects of power grids outages on our daily lives
- LUMIKER’s competitiveness and growth: by 2021, 2,7 X turnover and 2,4 X staff number; international sales in 10 countries.

CableSENS System advantages