Cables and wires: going greener and smarter

The innovative smarter and greener features coming up in power cables will support the country’s smart electricity moves in future.

Wires and cables play an important role, as a medium to carry power, and with the smart evolutions happening in the power sector power cables are also transforming gradually. With renewable power gaining momentum, the types of cables being used are also seeing changes in terms of using greener materials in the production of cables.

Wires & cables: what’s trending?

According to Kishan Jain, Director, Goldmedal Electricals, the wires and cables that are available today have come a long way in terms of the material being used, current capacity, and performance output. “Today, we have wires and cables that are made with pure solid electrolytic grade copper instead of aluminium-based material which was extensively used earlier. The new-age flame retardant, heat and fire resistant lead-free and the zero halogen and low smoke wires are specifically designed to maximise safety while minimising negative implications on the environment,” he adds.

Power cables as a segment has evolved a lot and now encompasses a large variety of products. Manjit Singh, Executive Director – Cables, KEC International Ltd says, “Being a competitive market, the constant challenge is to keep innovating and producing superior quality cables that meet the required standards. Hence, the focus lies on design & material innovation, lean manufacturing, and tighter process control.”

Bhushan Sawhney, Executive President & Chief Business Officer (LDC), Polycab India Ltd sees a growing demand worldwide for power cable in various segments and hence the requirement of additional features in the product emerges from time to time. “Improved production process and manufacturing technology (latest machineries) help power cable for better performance in harsh environment,” says Bhushan.

According to Gautam Seth, Joint Managing Director, HPL Electric & Power Ltd, the demand for electricity is expected to rise in future with increasing number of households, together with the sales of transmission and distribution equipment leading to positive inclination in demand for power cables and thus revenue generated by the industry. “The power cable market is presently at its growing stage in the country and is expected to capture a significant share in the electrical equipment industry in the coming years,” he adds.

Growing smart & sustainable

With technological advancements and awareness about sustainability, the power and cables sector has also embraced and evolved to incorporate these features. Kishan elaborates, “For the cables to last long and withstand extreme conditions, they are made using high-grade materials which are eco-friendly. For instance, more wires are being manufactured with zero lead, which is known to have harmful effects on the environment. Similarly, power cables are being developed without materials like halogen to prevent the emission of harmful gases or soil contamination.”

Manjit explains some of the sustainable developments happening in the sector, “Power cables have come a long way – from using oil-filled or paper insulation to rubber and now, XLPE. Growing trend of industrial automation, remote monitoring, energy storage, micro-grids etc. have put tremendous performance requirements on all network components with respect to fault handling, overload etc. In general, the thrust continues to be on increasing the cables’ life and reliability.”

Bhushan observes, “Renowned power cable suppliers are providing best-in-class solutions, based on state-of-the art technology for the transmission and distribution of power at low, medium and high voltage. Hybrid optical and power cable installations for smart grid system is on the way for energy sustainability and no failure. The smart grid facility is an integration of renewable energy supply from solar panels and windmills besides multidirectional power supply, multilevel control, failure prevention etc.”

New products

The emerging developments in power transmission and distribution sector and the evolving renewable sector have paved the way for new products and solutions in cables and wires also. Many leading players highlight their innovative sustainable products to meet the upcoming demand requirements from the industry. “At Goldmedal Electricals, we offer a wide range of wires and cables that are manufactured with the increasing demand for sustainable solutions. Our Heat Resistant Fire-Resistant Lead-Free (HRFRL) wires are not just heat and fire-resistant but are also lead-free,” says Kishan.

According to Manjit, sustainable technology is about using less resources (with high carbon footprint) for same output and reducing losses in the system. He adds, “Operationally, we see this in many forms – railway electrification, electric cars, solar/ wind power, biomass, distributed generation, smart cities etc. KEC’s two fully integrated manufacturing facilities at Vadodara and Mysore in India are well-equipped to manufacture power cables from low to extra-high voltage ratings.”

Gautam says, “We are exploring opportunities for products and services related to renewable energy, particularly solar energy and have range of solar DC cable for catering to this segment. HPL solar cables are made under stringent MNRE parameters to deliver lasting performance throughout the lifetime of the PV system.”

Supporting smart electricity

With the ever-growing demand for power in India, power companies are looking for smart and sustainable solutions to save electricity and minimise loss in transmission and distribution. How cables can contribute to this.

Manjit explains, “Usage of advanced cable technologies can enhance grid reliability and efficiency, guaranteeing correct operations in all circumstances and preventing black-outs, failures and damage of other grid components, thereby reducing maintenance costs, and avoiding penalties for the transmission companies and discoms.”

From a green perspective, Bhushan adds, “The power cable supplied for green electricity produced from windmill, solar system, biogas and the like are different in nature and hence the power cable features are different than the underground laid cable. The cables are having additional features for working in harsh weather condition for working life enhancement.”

Gautam points out, “To communicate, along with power cables, protocol-based communication cables i.e., RS485/Modbus cable is being used to capture all T&D data remotely and to produce a cost-effective solution to the market. Thus, concept and implementation of these cables in future, particularly for smart city projects are going to be improved.”

Growth outlook

Demand for cables with new and advanced features will grow in future as the power demand is on the rise and more power is being produced from renewable sources. Manjit says, “The government’s focus on renewables power, power quality improvement, connected grid, smart cities and affordable housing augurs well for cables used in such applications.”

Bhushan highlights the extensive demand of power cable for transmitting renewable energy to the grid from the source. “The green cables will not only carry the green electricity, but it has inherent properties of ecofriendly characteristics where it plays a role of safety, security, sustainability, and environment friendly.”

According to Gautam, the cables and conductors industry is open to significant growth opportunities on account of investments planned in the power and infrastructure sectors by the government.

“The ongoing research and development of modular power flow control solutions to make transmission grid easy and efficient will boost the demand for smart cables. Furthermore, the increasing popularity of renewable energy will also play an important role for the growth in demand for green cables. Overall, we foresee a steady uptick in the use and application of green and smart cables in the future,” Kishan concludes.

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“The thrust continues to be on increasing the cables’ life and reliability.” – Manjit Singh, Executive Director – Cables, KEC International Ltd

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“Hybrid optical and power cable installations for smart grid system is on the way for energy sustainability and no failure.” – Bhushan Sawhney, Executive President & Chief Business Officer (LDC), Polycab India Ltd

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“The increasing popularity of renewable energy will also play an important role for the growth in demand for green cables.” – Kishan Jain, Director, Goldmedal Electricals

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“The power cable market is expected to capture a significant share in the electrical equipment industry in the coming years.” – Gautam Seth, Joint Managing Director, HPL Electric & Power Ltd