Power New Technologies, Supercapacitors and Electrical Resistance-Free Superconducting Cables

 In the future, the way we consume electricity may change, as well as the equipment that draws it from power plants and through transmission lines. Technological advancements have expanded electricity transmission from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), and solar panels in homes are now able to generate power. With the development of auxiliary devices such as energy storage systems (ESS), we are living in an era where homes and buildings are both power plants and power consumers. 

KEPCO, which is in charge of transmission and distribution, is preparing for a different future by developing power technologies. Representative examples are the development of supercapacitors for frequency regulation and superconducting cables without electrical resistance.


Supercapacitors

Supercapacitors for frequency regulation are a complement to lithium battery-type ESSs. One of the many roles of an ESS is to keep the electrical frequency constant at 60 Hz. If the frequency is higher, the appliance plugged into the power plug will be damaged; if it is lower, the appliance will not work. 

Supercapacitors charge and discharge faster than lithium batteries. While lithium batteries charge and discharge by moving lithium ions between the positive and negative electrodes, supercapacitors work by having electrons bind to holes. As a result, supercapacitors take less time to charge and discharge than lithium batteries. 

Connecting a supercapacitor to a renewable energy source with irregular power generation can bring the frequency back on track faster than a lithium battery. This is called 'fast response'. 

In Ireland, where over 70% of electricity generation comes from renewables, supercapacitors are used for frequency regulation to quickly bring the frequency of renewable power to a steady level. 

In Korea, the KEPCO's Convergence Research Center has developed a hybrid frequency regulation ESS using a supercapacitor and a lithium battery. The principle is that the supercapacitor initially receives the power generated by renewable energy at the millisecond (ms) level, and the lithium battery receives it 15 to 20 seconds later. Through this, the KEPCO's Convergence Research Center is preparing for a time when the proportion of renewable energy generation in Korea will increase. 


Superconducting cables without electrical resistance

KEPCO's Convergence Research Center is also working on a superconducting cable platform business model. 


Researcher on superconducting cable platform business model Dr. Ji-Yeol Lee, Senior Researcher, Convergence Research Center, KEPCO

With superconducting cables, there is no need to build multiple substations or install transformers in the distribution grid. The phenomenon of superconductivity has 'zero' electrical resistance and can generate and deliver power at 22.9 kilovolts (kV), the voltage we supply to homes and buildings from the ground up. 

Currently, power cables made of copper lose power over long distances, so power generated by generators is first boosted to higher voltages, such as 765㎸ and 345㎸, and then transmitted at 154㎸. The grid then depressurizes it to 22.9 kilovolts to deliver electricity to homes and buildings. 

With superconducting cables, there is no need for high-voltage transmission cables, substations, and transformers. KEPCO developed a superconducting cable in 2019, but it operates at cryogenic temperatures, close to absolute zero, so it has not been widely applied and is developing a business model in a limited scope.

In the future, the discovery of room-temperature superconductors is expected to radically change our power generation and transmission and distribution processes. 



New power technologies from private companies


                                          Energy tile (left), solar collector (right) (Source: KEPCO)


With KEPCO's support, private companies have also developed the Energy Tile (Standard Energy), a vanadium-based wall battery that eliminates the risk of fire, and solar collectors (Keumcheol Innovation). 

The 'Energy Tile' is designed to allow ESS to be installed on the wall. In the past, a separate room for ESS was required due to fire risk and size, but with the Energy Tile, there is no need for this. Install the Energy Tile on the wall and connect the solar generator on the roof, and the electricity generated by the solar generator can be used immediately.

The solar collectors provide hot water and electricity. It works so well that the water it produces is hot enough to be used in factories. It also generates electricity, so you don't need a separate generator. 

It will be interesting to see how these new power products will impact our lives in the future.


Resource : Energy Information and Culture Foundation, Dec. 24, 2024

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