Higher Efficiency of Transformers

The project, Higher Efficiency of Transformers is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by cutting consumption of the fossil fuel used to accommodate excessive transformer losses. 

Rapid growth in large regional economies such as China has elevated human prosperity. However, unless ultimately decoupled from fossil fuel use, such growth also threatens to exacerbate the climate challenge.

At the kick-off meeting of the project on 12 March 2010, all project partners stressed that energy–efficient transformers work towards meeting internationally agreed goals for reducing global warming. In terms of outcomes, the project is expected to achieve savings of as much as 887 million kWh a year of electricity and reductions of carbon dioxide emissions by up to 840,000 tons.

The efficiency of transformers can be improved by using higher performance raw materials, particularly special steels for transformer cores, which are continually being developed. The size of the transformers being installed in the electricity network, and the way in which they are loaded, can also increase savings.

The director of the lead applicant, the International Copper Association China (ICA), Victor Zhou, stated that ICA promotes the use of higher efficiency transformers within the country’s energy industry to conserve energy and reduce emissions.

 There is enormous potential for saving energy and increasing efficiency by employing these transformers, and the project intends to promote higher standards to govern their use. There is also potential for improvements through capacity building with manufacturers and the end-users. The project involves a close partnership between the International Copper Association China (ICA), the China National Institute of Standardization (CNIS), the China Electrical Equipment Industrial Association (CEEIA), the China Electricity Council (CEC), and Action Sustainable Development (ASD-France).