A new tool has been developed to help power companies detect faults in power lines that might otherwise go unnoticed, according to Factor This. Researchers hope to use it to prevent wildfires from starting.
The tech was designed to find high-impedance, or HiZ, faults. That's when an energized conductor, like a fallen power line, comes into contact with the ground and causes a short. HiZ faults often go undetected because they produce a small amount of energy; however, the sparks they produce can ignite fires.
"We had testing through our partnership with Eaton that provided real data that is experimentally derived and then we were able to leverage NREL's high-performance computing and machine learning to provide a solution to utilities which has a very significant, immediate real-world impact," said Richard Bryce, a senior researcher with the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the lead on the project, per Factor This.
The new tool has the potential to prevent disasters before they happen, especially in the western United States, where wildfires are often sparked by downed power lines. In January, officials in California reported that a broken line had caused a wildfire that was active for 24 days and killed 18 people. Dry conditions allowed the fire to spread over more than 14,000 acres.
Detecting downed power lines before they can cause fires is critical to saving habitats for plants, animals, and humans. Fires can spread quickly and take weeks to contain, destroying homes and ecosystems in the meantime. Stopping them at the source reduces risk for all living creatures.
Other methods for preventing wildfires can be controversial. Controlled burns in particular can pose a risk if even one spark hits the wrong spot.
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"We want to provide utility companies with the tools for a more resilient power system with better reliability and security for customers that mitigates the potential for wildfires caused by high-impedance faults," said Bryce, per Factor This.
The NREL stated that it's working with agencies across the country to roll out this new technology and start preventing fires as quickly as possible.
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