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Search results for: “transformers”

  • Transformers: rise of the beasts?

    Transformers: rise of the beasts?

    A transformer is needed to step the voltage up or down at every inter-connection point in the grid. Hence this 14-page note explores how renewables and EVs will expand future transformer markets. The main challenge is that the need for smaller, simpler units may exacerbate margin pressure in an already competitive industry. So who is…

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  • Transformer costs: the economics?

    Transformer costs: the economics?

    Transformer costs must typically run at $8/kVA to earn a 10% IRR constructing a new transformer manufacturing facility, across capex costs, materials costs, specialized labor costs, and all built-up from first principles in this economic model. We have also screened 25 leading companies in transformer manufacturing.

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  • MOSFETs: energy use and power loss calculator?

    MOSFETs: energy use and power loss calculator?

    MOSFETs are fast-acting digital switches, used to transform electricity, across new energies and digital devices. MOSFET power losses are built up from first principles in this data-file, averaging 2% per MOSFET, with a range of 1-10% depending on voltage, switching, on resistance, operating temperature and reverse recovery charge.

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  • Power grids: opportunities in the energy transition?

    Power grids: opportunities in the energy transition?

    Power grids move electricity from the point of generation to the point of use, while aiming to maximize the power quality, minimize costs and minimize losses. Broadly defined, global power grids and power electronics investment must step up 5x in the energy transition, from a $750bn pa market to over $3.5trn pa. But this theme…

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  • Global trade: balance or darkness?

    Global trade: balance or darkness?

    Global trade has been growing more adversarial. US foreign relations are also shifting. Hence this 16-page note maps 20 trade categories, across energy, materials and capital goods; in each case, breaking down global imports by source, and global exports by destination. Our top ten conclusions follow.

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  • Power distribution: the economics?

    Power distribution: the economics?

    Power distribution costs to residential, commercial and industrial consumers are estimated at 3.5 c/kWh in this model, to generate a 10% levered return, in a 5km x 10MW distribution line, at 17kV, rated up to 400A, with a capex cost of $150/kW-km, a 5% line loss and 40% annualized utilization. All of these inputs can…

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  • Electrical conductivity: energy transition materials?

    Electrical conductivity: energy transition materials?

    Electrical conductivity of energy transition materials is tabulated in this data-file. ‘The action’ takes place in the range of 10^-8 to 10^-3 Ohm-meters, including silver in solar cells, copper in renewables and EVs, aluminium transmission lines, batteries, and solar semiconductors.

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  • Sentient Energy: smart grid breakthrough?

    Sentient Energy: smart grid breakthrough?

    This data-file is a technology review for Sentient Energy, assessing innovations in smart grids. Its technology can achieve energy savings via a combination of “Conservation Voltage Reduction” and “Volt-VAR optimization at the grid edge”. This also helps to integrate more solar and EV charging into power grids. We explain the technology.

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  • Eaton: breakdown of revenues by product category?

    Eaton: breakdown of revenues by product category?

    Eaton is a power-electronics super-giant, listed in the US, employing 86,000 people, generating $20bn per year of revenues. We have aimed to guess how $20bn pa of net sales is distributed across 200 different product categories. 75% is exposed to power-electronics, with tailwinds in the energy transition.

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  • Renewables: how much time to connect to the grid?

    Renewables: how much time to connect to the grid?

    Is the power grid becoming a bottleneck for the continued acceleration of renewables? The median approval time to tie a new US power project into the grid has climbed by 30-days/year since 2001, and doubled since 2015, to over 1,000 days (almost 3-years) in 2021. Wind and solar projects are now taking longest. This data-file…

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