An R&D Programme of Federal Grid Company for the years 2015–2017 (approved by the Order No. 133 dated 19 March 2015) is one of the instruments for implementing the Innovative Development Programme.
The R&D Programme has been designed to ensure stable, long-term funding of our efforts to develop state-of-the-art technologies, equipment and devices and is aimed at enhancing the reliability, quality and economy of consumer power supply by upgrading the Russian UES grids and turning them into a smart (active-adaptive) core of the future power technological infrastructure.
The R&D works aimed at creating a smart energy system with an active-adaptive grid involve the development and implementation of new principles of managing technical aids, grid element management systems and management systems of electric grid complexes in stationary and postemergency modes, reliable, long-life electrical equipment and automation systems based on new scientific developments, technologies and principles of the UES operation.
Benefits of 20-kV -D/C HTS cable line developed by Federal Grid
- Reducing electricity losses in the cable
- Implementing short-circuit current limitation
- Obviating the need to use compensatory devices for electricity transmission
- Improving cyclic load capability and controllability of transmission
- Combining grids with different frequency standards for parallel operation
Target Subprogrammes under the R&D Programme
- Digital substation
- New materials and designs
- Process Management
- Operation and monitoring
- Digital design
- Power conversion and transmission
Key Results of the R&D Programme Implementation in 2015
High Temperature Superconductive (HTS) cable lines
- Work was completed to create a 20-kV, 2,500-D/C HTS cable line having a length of up to 2,500 m
- Design documentation was prepared and the HTS cable manufactured as follows: four construction units of cable having a length of 350–450 m; transition joints and terminations; valve converters; relay protection and automation control systems; cryogenic equipment
Transition Joints and Terminations for XLPE cables for 110, 220 and 330 KV
- Design documentation was prepared and prototypes were manufactured
- Acceptance and qualification tests were conducted at an assembled 110 and 220 kV cable system to check cable fitting’s conformity to GOST and company standard
- Operational life testing was conducted of prototypes of high voltage cable fitting for voltages from 110 kV to 330 kV
Metrological Control and Supervision at digital substations
- A set of regulations and specifications was prepared regulating operations of metrological control and supervision at digital substations
- Technical requirements and specifications were developed for a prototype hardware and software platform for metrological control over measuring channels of digital substations
Automatic water-mist fire extinguishing system for 220-kV, 125–250 MVA transformers
- A system was developed
- The testing results confirmed the efficiency compared to traditional water fire extinguishing systems: a significant decrease in water consumption ( by 3–7 times) and a serious reduction of extinction time (up to 4)
- A model project was developed, the system was installed and now is under pilot operation at 220 kV Tula SS (MES Centre)
Physical condition monitoring and damage location system for 220–750-kV OHL
- Working design documentation and software were developed
- Prototypes were manufactured
- Bench tests were conducted
- The system is under pilot operation at OH Ls of MES Siberia (at 3 facilities) and MES South (at 2 facilities)
R&D Funding, RUB billion
In accordance with our Investment Programme, in 2015 RUB484.19 mln were allocated to implement our R&D Programme that is 0.28% of Federal Grid’s revenue. The reduction of the R&D funding volume compared to the 2010–2013 period was caused by some adjustments we made to our Investment Programme in line with a change of the electricity transmission tariff growth scenario.
Long-Term Plans
Given the limited funding in the years ahead, we intend to concentrate on improving the quality and efficiency of planning and implementation of our R&D Programme and focus our efforts on the most advanced and critical areas of our innovative activities.
We also plan to further actualise our “open innovation” tools for working with our partners in innovative development in the following areas:
- Development and popularisation of Federal Grid’s public documents and Internet resources concerning innovative development, oriented to our partners and counterparties and setting out goals and objectives, key requirements and technologies, and other important information related to modernisation of UNEG, building of a smart grid and other areas of our innovative development
- Further development of innovative competencies centres established with participation or support from Federal Grid Company on the premises of university labs, chairs, departments and small innovative “subsidiaries” and based on innovation contests
- Development of public-private partnership mechanisms
- Development of instruments to manage knowledge, competencies and the Company’s operating system to maximally use internal reserves for innovative development
Creating an intellectual portfolio and intangible assets of Federal Grid Company
As part of our efforts to implement our R&D Programme, Federal Grid Company had 30 intellectual properties registered with Rospatent in 2015, including: