Staying ahead of the technology curve means strengthening your competitive advantage. That is why we give you data-driven innovation insights into the energy industry. This time, you get to discover 5 hand-picked startups developing power transmission solutions.
Global Startup Heat Map: 5 Top Power Transmission Startups
The 5 power transmission startups you will explore below are chosen based on our data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and relevance of technology, among others. This analysis is based on the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 1.3 million startups & scaleups globally.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the 5 power transmission startups & scaleups our Innovation Researchers curated for this report. Moreover, you get insights into regions that observe a high startup activity and the global geographic distribution of the 227 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.
NewGrid creates Transmission Topology Optimization Software
Conventional transmission grids frequently lack flexibility in day-to-day operations. In case of congestions, topology reconfigurations are done on an ad-hoc basis and require significant input from the grid staff. Startups and scaleups develop transmission topology optimization tools that identify suitable network reconfigurations for immediate congestion relief and flexible routing support.
The US-based startup NewGrid creates a transmission topology optimization software. It uses simulation algorithms to automatically detect eligible and effective line reconfigurations to avoid congestion. It also produces insights for grid operators to plan outage and remedial activities, seasonal contingency, and general grid transfer capacities.
Laki Power arranges Dynamic Line Rating (DLR)
Power transmission operators apply dynamic line rating techniques to assess and increase the ampacity of overhead electricity lines based on environmental conditions, such as temperature, solar radiation, humidity, and wind speed. Traditionally, grid managers employ bulk weather monitoring stations and devices to keep track of lines. Nowadays, startups and scaleups devise innovative real-time sensors that not only perform dynamic line rating, but also estimate safety risks, and support predictive maintenance and grid resilience.
Iceland-based startup Laki Power develops surveillance products for high-voltage transmission grid operators. The startup’s fully autonomous and robust LKX-201 MULTI solution encompasses a range of cameras and sensors. It monitors wind, temperature, humidity, and other external conditions for DLR input in real-time. Furthermore, the solution utilizes Laki Power’s patented PowerGRAB cold rectification technology to accurately measure high voltage current and efficiently manage dynamic ampacity.
AssetCool develops Power Line Cooling Coatings
Large-scale integration of renewables into the grid and increasing consumer demands lead to overutilization of some lines, resulting in their increased temperature and associated fire and melting hazard risks. In order to prevent and mitigate these issues, startups develop solutions that support the natural cooling of power lines as well as apply novel material coatings that keep line temperature within specified levels.
British startup AssetCool operates in the field of thermal metaphotonics, developing photonic cooling solutions for overhead electricity lines. AssetCool merges nanotechnology and coating formulation techniques to passively cool transmission conducting wires. These photonic coatings amplify infrared heat dissipation of conductors, decrease the amount of their solar heat absorption and, consequently, perform spectrally selective cooling optimization.
Sterblue enables Drone-based Line Inspections
Maintaining power transmission lines often involves inspection at heights and tight or hardly accessible grid spots. This raises concerns for worker safety when executed manually by grid staff. Emerging companies alleviate safety challenges with their drone-based inspection solutions. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) assess general conditions, pinpoint visual defects, and produce high-quality aerial images of transmission assets, especially remote ones.
French startup Sterblue offers a combined software and hardware solution to digitize transmission grid inspections. It involves a full-cycle process from information acquisition and organization to data analysis and reporting. Sterblue enables line inspections for inventory management, exhaustive detailed evaluation, live updates of line parameters, vegetation management, and digital twin creation for transmission assets.
Emrod facilitates Wireless Transmission
The advancements in electromagnetic science technologies make wireless energy transfer possible. This form of energy transfer is frequently applied for the inductive charging of consumer electronic devices and electric vehicles (EVs). Startups are working to further uplift electromagnetic technologies to the level where they support grid-scale city-wide wireless energy transmission.
New Zealand-based startup Emrod develops an eco-friendly wireless long-distance electricity transmission system for smart grids. It utilizes a patented tele-energy technology based on beam shaping, metamaterials, and rectennas. This safely converts electricity into electromagnetic waves and transports it to consumers, regardless of weather conditions. The first use cases for Emrod’s technology include offshore sites, outage response facilities, and edge-of-network locations.
Discover more Energy Startups
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