Welcome to another post in the series Only Connect. It is
written by Nick
Locke, of Nicab
Ltd, who has over 15 years of experience in the
electronics
manufacturing industry specialising in interconnection cable assembly.A blog on Green Manufacturing and innovative technology.
There is good news for the renewable energy industry as Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. has developed wiring than can conduct about 50 percent more current than existing superconductive cables, targeting power producers and medical equipment makers seeking more efficient delivery of electricity.
The wires, known as high-temperature superconductors, are made using the metal bismuth and have zero electrical resistance, Kenichi Sato, a chief engineer at the Osaka-based company, said Sept. 21 in an interview. Sumitomo, whose customers include Tokyo Electric Power Co., Asia's biggest power producer, in 2004 started producing wires capable of delivering up to 200 amperes.
Bismuth-based high-temperature superconductors can transmit 200 times
the electrical current of copper cables when cooled with liquid
nitrogen, resulting in less wiring being needed to transmit power, Sato
said. The technology allows for more efficient connections with
renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, he said.
At the same time Lapp Cable launches a cabling product line for photovoltaic (PV) applications under the name ölflex Solar. The cables are UV-resistant and characterised by a high level of resistance to the weather and temperature.
The ölflex XLR cables are produced using electron beam cross-linking, a technology adopted from the aerospace industry to give polymer materials stronger thermal and mechanical properties. The resulting TÜV-approved cables offer thermal resistance from -40 to 120°C and long lasting functionality under all weather conditions.
The standard cross-linked ölflex XLS cables are for use in the temperatures ranging from -40 to 100°C. These cables are normally mounted on flat or pitched roofs and in field systems for wiring solar panels together. Due to their large conductor cross-section, these ruggedized cables are used in large solar systems as a collective line to carry high electric loads between individual rows of modules and as a connector to the power inverter. They are also suitable for underground installation.
All this is just as well as manufacturing giant Siemens has announced three major deals to supply wind energy turbines and the company's expertise to projects in Russia, Scotland and the North Sea.
The company announced it has signed a partnership with two Russian companies, Rostechnologii and RusHydro, to establish a joint venture to set up facilities to produce wind turbine components for the Russian market. The unit will also provide sales and service of Siemens wind turbines in Russia and other countries.
There is a lot of exciting developments in the re-newable energy industry and a great number of projects are getting off the ground out there especially on other countries. It does seem a little like the rest of the world is buying big into re-newable energy markets. And for our own country's industry, the train is leaving the station... The big question is: are we on it?
Nick Locke, director at Nicab Ltd, has over 15 years experience in the electronics manufacturing industry specialising in interconnection cable assembly. Driven by a passion for interconnection he spends a great deal of his time searching out the latest technology and innovation in interconnection & manufacturing in general.
Keen to pass on information his aim is to engage the electronics community in the subjects and issues he believes are important. Totally devoted to the promotion of the electronics manufacturing industry he sees the future of electronics manufacturing as vital component in the UK economy.
Previous Only Connect entries:
* Only Connect: A positive mindset for winning government contracts
* Only Connect: A Top Ten of connector manufacturers
* Only Connect: Red toxic sludge points the way (Going Green #3)
* Only Connect: Handy Design Tips #4 - Explosion proof Ethernet
* Only Connect: We're changing the world into a better place, baby!
* Only Connect: Handy Design Tips #3 - The right wrong connector
* Only Connect: Proud of the Made In UK mark
* Only Connect: Handy Design Tips #1 - Colour
* Only Connect: Better promoting the value of UK manufacturing
* Only Connect: Easy ways to go green
* Product packaging (Going Green II)
* Only Connect: The Nicab Top Ten connectors
* Only Connect: Handy Design Tips #2 - Problems & Opportunities
* Only Connect: Kudos for Connector.com
At the same time Lapp Cable launches a cabling product line for photovoltaic (PV) applications under the name ölflex Solar. The cables are UV-resistant and characterised by a high level of resistance to the weather and temperature.
The ölflex XLR cables are produced using electron beam cross-linking, a technology adopted from the aerospace industry to give polymer materials stronger thermal and mechanical properties. The resulting TÜV-approved cables offer thermal resistance from -40 to 120°C and long lasting functionality under all weather conditions.
The standard cross-linked ölflex XLS cables are for use in the temperatures ranging from -40 to 100°C. These cables are normally mounted on flat or pitched roofs and in field systems for wiring solar panels together. Due to their large conductor cross-section, these ruggedized cables are used in large solar systems as a collective line to carry high electric loads between individual rows of modules and as a connector to the power inverter. They are also suitable for underground installation.
All this is just as well as manufacturing giant Siemens has announced three major deals to supply wind energy turbines and the company's expertise to projects in Russia, Scotland and the North Sea.
The company announced it has signed a partnership with two Russian companies, Rostechnologii and RusHydro, to establish a joint venture to set up facilities to produce wind turbine components for the Russian market. The unit will also provide sales and service of Siemens wind turbines in Russia and other countries.
There is a lot of exciting developments in the re-newable energy industry and a great number of projects are getting off the ground out there especially on other countries. It does seem a little like the rest of the world is buying big into re-newable energy markets. And for our own country's industry, the train is leaving the station... The big question is: are we on it?
Nick Locke, director at Nicab Ltd, has over 15 years experience in the electronics manufacturing industry specialising in interconnection cable assembly. Driven by a passion for interconnection he spends a great deal of his time searching out the latest technology and innovation in interconnection & manufacturing in general.
Keen to pass on information his aim is to engage the electronics community in the subjects and issues he believes are important. Totally devoted to the promotion of the electronics manufacturing industry he sees the future of electronics manufacturing as vital component in the UK economy.
Previous Only Connect entries:
* Only Connect: A positive mindset for winning government contracts
* Only Connect: A Top Ten of connector manufacturers
* Only Connect: Red toxic sludge points the way (Going Green #3)
* Only Connect: Handy Design Tips #4 - Explosion proof Ethernet
* Only Connect: We're changing the world into a better place, baby!
* Only Connect: Handy Design Tips #3 - The right wrong connector
* Only Connect: Proud of the Made In UK mark
* Only Connect: Handy Design Tips #1 - Colour
* Only Connect: Better promoting the value of UK manufacturing
* Only Connect: Easy ways to go green
* Product packaging (Going Green II)
* Only Connect: The Nicab Top Ten connectors
* Only Connect: Handy Design Tips #2 - Problems & Opportunities
* Only Connect: Kudos for Connector.com
