POWER PYLONS OF THE FUTURE 1
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Building critical infrastructure such as power lines in and around communities is always going to be challenging. But important decisions on how we balance the need for new infrastructure with its costs and impact on the local environment simply can’t be avoided. They have to be made if we are to meet customers’ needs - and ensure the lights stay on. Steve Holliday, CEO National Grid
This booklet demonstrates the latest product developments in power transmission in the pursuit of a worthy replacement for the conventional lattice tower.
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CONTENT
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Henrik Skouboe, Director, BYSTRUP, explains why it is time for change
Getting public acceptance by using new pylon design - lessons learned from Denmark
Sir Graham Watson foresees the future of transmission lines
08 Time for change
24 Electricity roadmap
36 The future is electric
10 Getting public acceptance - lessons learned
26 Renewables-GridInitiative
38 The Composite Pylon
12 Positive feedback
40 Who we are
- an alternative to the lattice tower
- Kassø-Tjele
14 The first T-Pylon installed - innovative design for National Grid
18 Mirror Wall
- share renewable energy resources
- best practice in grid expansion projects
28 Easy installation
41 Awards
30 World leading
42 Partners
– sustainability means acting responsibly
32 100 year lifespan
20 Finding solutions
- making overhead lines accepted by the public
– significantly smaller
– saves time and cost
- reflecting the environment
- decarbonizing the grid in California
– materials for the future
34 The Sky Pylon – reflecting the landscape
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100.000 PYLONS NEEDED BY 2020 - IN EUROPE ALONE
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The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy calls for a worldwide, large-scale expansion of the power transmission grid the interconnecting motorways of high voltage.
aim of providing 20 percent of Europe’s energy from renewable sources such as solar power, hydro power and wind power. This corresponds to the distance from London to Perth and back.
In Europe alone, 28.000 km of 400 kV transmission line is needed by 2020 to fulfil the
It also means that more than 100.000 new pylons will be needed in the near future.
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Extending the European transmission grid requires a new type of pylon. A pylon that is easier to erect, less costly, and better looking than the old ones, must be made available if we are to meet consumer demands - and ensure the lights stay on.
TIME FOR CHANGE
AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE LATTICE TOWER All over the world, people find lattice towers intrusive and very often fiercely oppose them. This makes life difficult for Transmission System Operators (TSO’s) trying to meet the demand for new lines that carry renewable energy from production sites to population centres.
Henrik Skouboe, Director, BYSTRUP.
After more than a century, the lattice tower remains unchanged. This is despite substantial technologcal progress and a growing resistance among the public.
BYSTRUP is a company exclusively focused on designing, developing, planning and erecting innovative power pylons that represent a real alternative to the traditional lattice tower.
Through projects in the UK and Denmark, we have considerable experience in getting public acceptance with our pylons. We have set up a framework of guidelines for developing power pylons that combine best-in-class engineering with environmental awareness and aesthetics. The aim of this booklet is to provide the reader with an overview over current trends in the energy sector and the challenges and possibilities in transitioning to renewables, stated by peers in the industry. For more info please go to www.powerpylons.com
At BYSTRUP, we believe it is time for change.
New pylons are half the size of the lattice tower and will be more submissive in the landscape
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50 m
40 m
TREELINE HEIGHTS
30 m BEECH ASH
HORSE CHESTNUT 20 m OAK
BIRCH
10 m
0m
Composite pylon 2x400kV
Standard Lattice Tower (UK) 2x400kV
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GETTING PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE LESSONS LEARNED
Due to strong public opposition to lattice towers, the Danish TSO, Energinet.dk encountered problems obtaining permits for a new transmission line. Therefore the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy, in cooperation with Energinet.dk, organized an international competition to find a new power pylon design.
Henning Øbro, Senior Executive Project Manager, Energinet.dk.
In 2001, the Danish Ministry of Environment and Energy organized an international competition seeking a new power pylon design. The Design Pylon won first prize and the line of 80 pylons that has been installed is very well received by the locals.
The winning design from BYSTRUP is a pylon of two elements. The steel shaft is a modest structure which rises from the ground, setting the rhythm of the transmission line through the landscape. The conductors spanning between are carried and organised by delicate stainless steel lattice frames which top the masts. These lightweight structures reflect the environment and merge into the sky, to make the pylon tops almost invisible.
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The material of the shaft was selected by local communities from a choice of painted, galvanised or weathering steel; a decision that allowed locals to take ownership in the project. A year after the new pylons were installed, Henning Øbro, Senior Executive Project Manager of Energinet.dk, met with the community group originally opposed to the transmission line. They expressed how their perception of the pylons had changed to positive and that they are now proud to have the pylons in their landscape. By fondly naming the pylons ‘Magic Wands’, locals have not only embraced them, but have confirmed the original vision of the design in the landscape.
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Locals were involved in the whole process and have embraced the new pylons. They call them ‘Magic Wands’.
In a recent study, “MARNU�, from a CIGRE publication (2014), 1,000 respondents from all over Austria were asked to evaluate 6 different tower types.
The results were clear: across several criteria, the tubular towers were rated in first place. They were considered modern and even beautiful, whereas the lattice steel tower designs were criticized as old-fashion looking and not beautiful.
Light reflecting on the lattice heads changes with the daylight conditions
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POSITIVE FEEDBACK KASSØ-TJELE
Eagle Pylon. In November 2014, the new double circuit 400 kV power line was up and running.
Christian Jensen, Executive Project Manager, Energinet.dk.
After being successful with the Design Pylon, BYSTRUP introduced the Eagle Pylon for a new 166 km line from Norway to Germany. The line between Kassø and Tjele is vital to the Danish energy infrastructure and essential in order to exchange energy with the surrounding countries. For the line running through Jutland in Denmark, BYSTRUP developed the
Energinet.dk, the Danish grid operator, started planning the line in March 2009 with an environmental impact assessment, as required by the regional planning authorities. The first public hearing, where different tower types and ideas were presented, was held in June 2009. The meeting gave the citizens an opportunity to discuss the overall project and the more local matters. In the second public hearing in March 2010, the final design was presented, and the public was asked to share their view on specific alternatives. The feedback towards the new design was overall positive. In autumn that year, the final environmental impact assessment and detailed route planning were reviewed.
When construction started in 2012, at Energinet.dk it was a surprise that the locals did not, as usual, call in massively to complain. The phones stayed silent and among the few incoming calls some were even praise!
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The new power line has been well accepted by most neighbours, experts, and contractors.
In the beginning of 2015, BYSTRUP received the ‘Good Practice of the Year’ award, granted by the European Union affiliate RGI, for this particular design.
The Eagle Pylon line is the backbone of the Danish transmission grid
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THE FIRST T-PYLONS INSTALLED INNOVATIVE DESIGN FOR NATIONAL GRID A striking new design of electricity pylon can be seen in the english countryside for the first time. National Grid has begun construction of a line of the new high voltage T-pylons, which at 35 metres are up to a third lower in height than the traditional steel lattice pylons.
David Wright, Director of Electricity Transmission Asset Management, National Grid.
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I’m incredibly proud of the high standard of engineering that brought us to this point. We developed the new style of pylon so that we could have a 21st century design to offer as we plan new transmission routes.”
The pylon was the winner of an international competition to find a 21st century design for carrying high voltage overhead lines. Its innovative but simple layout gives it a T-shaped cross arm, with the electricity wires and the insulators which hold them in place arranged in a diamond “earring” shape.
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We’ve been able to answer yes to the hundreds of questions that need to be asked before we can introduce a new type of pylon.
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First new pylon for 90 years a hit with voters The new electrity pylon design is almost twice as favoured as the old design – and is especially liked by the young. Weighing ten tons less than the traditional pylon and standing 14 meters shorter, the new design will be less obtrusive and better suited to transmitting a diversified electricity supply than its predecessor.
It only takes 4-6 hours to install a T-Pylon
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Edward Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, UK.
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To see the T-Pylon becoming a reality, just 20 months after winning the competition, is a fantastic achievement for BYSTRUP and National Grid.
The T-Pylon is designed to have a reduced visual impact on the landscape: it has a smaller footprint than the traditional steel lattice pylon and is about a third lower in height than its skeletal forebears. It is also quicker to build: prefabricated in bolt-together sections, it can be assembled by a team of five people in a day, compared with the nine people working for five days required for the original design. Six of the new pylons have been erected at the National Grid’s training academy in Eakring, Nottinghamshire, each demonstrating a different function in the network. The new line will be complete by mid-May this year.
Watch National Grid´s film of the T-Pylon development process.
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It only takes a few hours to install the T-Pylon
Chief Executive of National Grid Steve Holliday presents the T-Pylon to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at the Royal Academy of Engineering.
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MIRROR WALL
REFLECTING THE ENVIRONMENT According to the jury’s assessment, the sculpture pylon measuring 34.5 metres in height and 32.5 metres in width stands as an illustration of the beautiful landscape at Heia.
Håkon Borgen, jury chairman, Executive Vice President, Statnett, Technology and Developement
The competition to design Statnett’s first sculpture pylon was won by BYSTRUP with their Mirror Wall design.
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The Mirror Wall is new and different, yet in harmony with the environment and the scenic location.
Mirror Wall is constructed of a simple steel lattice structure. The framework is covered with panels of reflecting stainless steel with hidden fittings to give the desired reflection of the landscape.
The Mirror Wall is both new and different yet in harmony with the environment and the scenic location. Old and new is synchronised in a single archaic form; the reflecting square.
It is a testimony to nature being a sensation in itself at this particular place. The Mirror Wall does not interfere with the vision of nature, but will serve as a reflection to the many that come here to hike.
For more information: www.statnett.no
The Mirror Wall is an innovative and exciting proposition which is both integrated into and stands apart from the landscape. The pylon is going to be placed at Heia in Tromsø as part of Statnett’s planned 420 kV line between Ofoten and Balsfjord.
The Mirror Wall - in harmony with the environment and the scenic location
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FINDING SOLUTIONS
MAKING OVERHEAD LINES ACCEPTED BY THE PUBLIC Highways and railways have long been regarded as normal components of rural and urban landscapes. Yet most cultures seem unwilling to tolerate the presence of transmission towers in their communities. Using buried cables is the obvious way around this problem. But, from both a financial and technical perspective, this solution is very difficult to implement. Marvin L. Zimmerman, Publisher, INMR, the leading technical journal in the field of transmission lines, electrical insulators, surge arresters, bushings and cable accessories.
Society has come to regard electricity as a basic necessity of life – even a birth right – much like clean air or water. Expanding the power grid is no longer only a dream but really the only way forward.
BYSTRUP first began work in the field of overhead line design in 2001 when the office won a competition for a new 400 kV power pylon for the local grid operator, Energinet.dk. The resulting structure came to be referred to as the Design Pylon since appearance was the principal criterion being evaluated.
In this regard, there is really no practical alternative to overhead transmission lines in the foreseeable future – only alternatives when it comes to how these lines will look. Expanding the power grid is no longer only a dream but really the only way forward. Therefore, electricity supply companies must re-think how they design overhead lines and move beyond the aesthetic and design limitations that traditional lattice towers impose.
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The Design Pylon won the competition organized by the Danish Ministry of Energy and Environment and Energinet.dk in 2001.
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In the INMR 2015 Buyers Guide, you can read a detailed article about the Eagle Pylon Project
Essential in the design process, founder Erik Bystrup explains, was answering the basic question: “What do we really expect from a power line structure? Is it only a technical necessity, an object of design excellence or a piece of land art? The best answer, he remarks, lies somewhere in the middle of all three requirements.
One of the challenges of any line planner is to optimize the design to meet requirements for mechanical and electrical performance as well as durability.
Alternatives were then thoroughly examined before a final decision was made to erect the design regarded as optimal for that particular landscape.
Clearly, such a technically demanding item needs to be much more than something that is only pleasing to the eye. Moreover, since technical challenges often vary with voltage, a new design approach may need to be made whenever voltage levels change. Similarly, it is also important to take the configuration of conductors into account. Conductors have a significant visual presence as a transmission line moves across the landscape. Therefore, they must be considered carefully in the design.
Each of the tower designs discussed above illustrates that there are not only challenges but also many real opportunities when it comes to expanding the power grid without strident opposition by the affected communities. But to realize these opportunities, line designers will have to go beyond their ‘comfort zone’ of relying only on the standard lattice tower concept of the past.
Indeed, conductor layout was examined in the Eagle Pylon Project – a twin circuit 400 kV structure recently developed for Energinet. dk. A total of 480 of these structures are erected in Denmark. The relationship between structure design and conductor configuration was closely examined as this structure was being developed as part of a three level design process. The Eagle Pylon was used on a 2x400 kV line running through rural farmland.
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A GLOBAL ELECTRICITY ROADMAP SHARE RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES In order to bring renewable energy from the places where it is in great supply to the places where demand is high, smart systems are needed. Scientists tell us that unless the vast majority of known hydrocarbons stay in the ground we have no hope of limiting temperature rise to an average of 2°C in this century. Sir Graham Watson Member of the European Parliament Hon. Chairman and Co-Founder of The Climate Parliament.
Until recently, electricity was the cinderella; now it is becoming the princess.
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The key to limiting climate change - and the way to reduce our fatal addiction to oil and gas - is to build a network of electricity interconnections across the world.
We know that the energy to power all the needs of humankind and more is already there - radiating from the sun, supplemented by the wind and waves it generates. The Roadmap 2050 study showed how the EU could meet its ambition to decarbonise society by 80% by the year 2050; and by 100% with African desert power. The renewable energy just needs to be harvested, and distributed: the Climate Parliament, a network of legislators which I helped to set up, aims to make that happen.
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Perhaps the most exciting developments are in China. Not only are the Chinese building a longdistance transmission supergrid to link all parts of their own country, but the State Grid Corporation of China is proposing what it calls “a global electricity internet,” to share renewable energy resources across continents. Their plans include a circular grid around the Arctic Ocean to connect everyone to the northern winds, and a link from China to Europe down the ‘solar silk road’.
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I see a future in which humankind works with the grain of nature, not against it. Electricity is a beautiful thing. Let us make its distribution beautiful too.
EU Energy Network Roadmap2050: A practical guide to a prosperous, low-carbon Europe
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RENEWABLES-GRID-INITIATIVE BEST PRACTICE IN GRID EXPANSION PROJECTS Europe is in the middle of a substantial transformation of its energy system. In order to fight climate change, a strategy has been developed consisting of three pillars: a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, more energy efficiency, and an increased share of renewable energy.
Antonella Battaglini, Executive Director, RGI
In January 2015, BYSTRUP received the ‘Good Practice of the Year’ award granted by the European Union affiliate RGI. Executive Director of RGI, Antonella Battaglini talks about the massive need for a substantial transformation of the energy system.
This change will have tremendous effects on the geography and time horizons for planning and implementing new electricity infrastructure. To fully integrate renewable energy from centralised and decentralised sources, Europe´s grid architecture needs to be adapted and expanded to allow transmission over long distances, across national borders, and from generation to consumption and storage sites. Thousands of kilometres of new lines need to be built today and in coming decades. However, public opposition is growing.
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To overcome this opposition, new alliances are needed. RGI has provided a forum, in which TSOs and NGOs can practice their new roles. For the first time, these two groups defined their common interest in the 100%-integration of renewable electricity into the European grid and committed themselves to working together. TSOs have learned that they need to overcome the ‘business as usual’ approach and respond to the new situation in a flexible way. Civil society, on the other hand, recognises that it needs to inspire the transformation, explain it and help build support among the general public. The cooperation between grid operators and civil society during the past four years has shown that unexpected success can be achieved if different stakeholder groups team up. Erik Bystrup, Sir Graham Watson and Henrik Skouboe participate in the worldwide debate about future grid expansion
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EASY INSTALLATION SAVES TIME & COSTS The construction of power pylons has traditionally been a time consuming process. However, with modern manufacturing processes and elements that can travel on the roads in a few pieces, it is possible to erect one pylon in one day.
Watch a film of how easily the T-Pylon is installed
A BYSTRUP Power Pylon consists of as few elements as possible to minimise transportation, construction time and cost. Any overhead line foundation solution must be robust enough to last the lifetime of the pylon, be capable of quick installation, and minimise land use. A monopile foundation footprint is very small compared to a concrete plate foundation. From a sustainability point of view, the impact on the environment is smaller, and due to very limited excavation, ground water problems are practically eliminated.
Foundations for offshore windmills are typically made with monopiles driven into the seabed. Similarly, foundations for pylons on land can be provided by a hollow steel tubular section hammered into the ground. Using this solution, compared to the 28 days it would take for the concrete solution to reach the requisite strength for pylon erection, total installation time, including set-up of a full strength monopile foundation, can be done in one day by a single team.
In half a day a team of five people are able to install a tower
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3:00 PM
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WORLD LEADING
SUSTAINABILITY MEANS ACTING RESPONSIBLY We are committed to designing pylons that are socially, economically and environmentally responsible. We strive to create solutions that make a difference in the world of today and for the future. Our solutions answer not only current challenges, but also address long-term developments in the global energy world.
Founder Erik Bystrup is member of the jury for the international award of Responsible Architecture.
At BYSTRUP, we see it as our mission to deliver sustainable design – or responsible design as we prefer to call it.
To us, acting responsibly means applying our knowledge of material characteristics and recycling in the development of our designs. We do this by using products that optimize lifespan and provide alternatives to surface treatments.
We have decided to play an active role in responsible global development – a role where environmental and climate considerations are incorporated in a conscious choice of materials.
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Our power pylons are designed for future transmission lines. They have been developed with the specific purpose of minimizing the environmental footprint over their lifetime. We collaborate globally with government agencies, NGOs, green organizations and other stakeholders to achieve our shared goals. Together, we are at the forefront of responsible design.
Danish Minister of Energy, Rasmus Helveg and H.R.H. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark meets Henrik Skouboe at the grand opening of the new energy connection between Denmark and Norway.
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Photo: Per Dalsjø Schmidt, E.DK
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100 YEAR LIFESPAN MATERIALS FOR THE FUTURE Traditionally, steel power pylons are either painted or galvanized to extend their lifespan. This can be an expensive solution over the lifetime of a pylon since regular maintenance is required to preserve the protective paint or galvanized coating. The production and application of surface coatings also have undesirable effects on the environment. A better alternative to these conventional solutions is to use types of steel which do not require surface coatings.
Weathering steel and stainless steel are such examples. These materials have the natural resilience to last the lifetime of a pylon without requiring further treatment. As well as having a long lifespan, weathering steel has a natural appearance that blends easily into various landscapes. The environmental impact of a pylon extends beyond its life in service. At the end of its lifecycle, the steel from which a pylon is constructed must be recycled. This is more easily done when there are no surface coatings to be removed in the recycling process.
Mock ups testing different types of steel finishes and coatings.
As part of the process, two prototypes of the Eagle Pylon were made for mechanical tests and to assess visual appearance. One was made of weathering steel with stainless steel cross arms; the other was made of galvanised steel.
See how the T-Pylon in weathering steel appears in the landscape
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THE SKY PYLON
REFLECTING THE L ANDSCAPE The Sky Pylon is a design structure composed of flat geometrical surfaces. With its exterior in mirrorpolished stainless steel, it reflects the surrounding landscape and becomes close to invisible.
Stainless steel is available with a wide range of properties, from standard cold rolled varieties that reflect the light in a beautifully subtle way, to highly polished ones that literally mirror the surroundings. The Sky Pylon shows what is possible with modern techniques, materials and design.
For the Sky Pylon to be as small as possible, focus has been on height, width, materials and overall costs. Friederike Faller, Senior Development Designer, BYSTRUP.
This and other designs mean BYSTRUP can be counted among the pioneers of a new aesthetics.
Clad in mirror-polished stainless steel, the structure of the Sky Pylon reflects the surrounding landscape and blends in with the ever changing light from the sky.
Der Spiegel No 18/2.5.11
Stainless steel will not corrode, get rusty or stained. It is a material that needs no routine maintenance. The reflection from the sun makes the pylons almost invisible
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THE FUTURE IS ELECTRIC
DECARBONIZING THE GRID IN CALIFORNIA To meet the state’s GHG reduction targets in early 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown announced a new goal of producing 50% of all electricity used in the state from renewable resources by 2030. This will require development of more than 15,000 MW additional utilityscale renewable generating capacity—and transmission upgrades to connect that power to the grid. David Olsen, Board of Governors, California Independent System Operator
California law requires 33% of all electricity sold at retail to be supplied by renewable resources by 2020. Contracts have already been signed to bring California’s renewable generation to roughly 30,000 MW in 2020. Planning the transmission necessary to access and deliver that power began in 2004.
Building transmission to access individual generating projects dispersed over large geographies would be expensive and create major environmental impacts. Instead, the state has and will continue to use a Renewable Energy Zone approach to inform the transmission planning to connect biomass, geothermal, solar and wind resources to the grid. Grouping development of renewable energy generating projects into small geographic areas minimizes the amount of transmission required to access them, and thus
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In the last four years, more than $3 billion of major transmission projects have been approved and built. helps to minimize the delivered cost of power from those projects. It also minimizes environmental impacts because development is constrained into a limited number of relatively small geographic areas. As California continues to add renewables, it will also take advantage of high quality resources in other states. Sharing these resources—both imports into and exports from California—will likely require new transmission. Retirement of coal plants to meet GHG goals will also change regional power flows. California will collaborate with other states to optimize new transmission needed, and to minimize environmental impacts of the infrastructure necessary to decarbonize its electricity supply. Composite Pylon 2x400 kV DC, Arizona, USA
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THE COMPOSITE PYLON SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER
It is about half the size of a conventional lattice tower while carrying the same amount of power. The pylon can be assembled on site and erected in a single day. The pylon is made of composite materials that have been in use for more than 30 years in the insulation industry - hence the name Composite Pylon. Sebastian Dollerup, Head of Power Lines, Energinet.dk.
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The Composite Pylon completely rethinks the design of overhead lines, making it the power pylon of the future.
This revolutionary design benefits TSOs as well as the public. It is aimed at creating a new pylon that is smaller, more compact, and more visually acceptable. Its smaller stature reduces the construction cost, while the material helps reduce corona noise and magnetic fields.
We have developed a new pylon that defines a new era for the transmission line industry: a pylon rising from the ground as a unibody insulator with two crossarms, each carrying 400 kV.
The Composite Pylon: - Cost competitive - Compact design - Simple and fast foundation - Erected in a day - Standard composite materials - A unibody insulator The Composite Pylon is currently being developed in cooperation with leading Universities and international partners.
BEFORE AND AFTER Top: Existing line, Two lines each carrying 1x400 kV. Bottom: Proposed improvement: One pylon carrying 2x400 kV.
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WHO WE ARE BYSTRUP is a company specializing in power pylon design. With 15 years of practice in the field, we have comprehensive experience in designing, developing and realising innovative power pylon projects.
We work with global transmission companies and use our technical know-how, years of profound experience and ingenuity to create solutions that increase outcome for our clients. Our turn key consulting approach enables us to meet any specifica-
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tions, to modify existing pylons, or design an entirely new one according to the client’s wishes and specifications. We work with manufacturers of your choice, to build a prototype or the entire line, and we can recommend one from our previous projects.
AWARDS 2015 The Eagle Pylon awarded “Good Practice of the Year�
2014 The T-Pylon nominated to the EIT Innovations Award
2011 1. prize in international competition, United Kingdom, T-Pylon
2008 1. prize in international competition, Norway, Mirrorwall
2006 Award in international competition, Sweden, Y-Pylon
2004 Award in international competition, Iceland, Little Y
2001 1. prize in international competition, Denmark, Design Pylon
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PARTNERS The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark The Trade Council
Companies with large international growth potential Innovationsfonden 2013
The Danish Export Credit Agency
Technical University of Denmark
Aalborg University, Denmark
Confederation of Danish Industry Member
CIGRE Member State of Green Member
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