A surge in solar power is placing new pressures on electrical grids around the world. Curtailment, the reduction of renewable output when networks reach their limits, is becoming increasingly common and costly. Yet rather than relying solely on new infrastructure, there is an alternative that can help operators unlock the full potential of existing networks: smarter, data-driven technology.
Cheap and clean, solar photovoltaic (PV) energy has become the fastest growing source of electricity in the European Union. SolarPower Europe estimates total installed capacity at around 338 gigawatts in 2024. Costs have fallen by 82 percent since 2010, according to the European Commission, making solar the most competitive energy source in many regions. Almost half of all electricity generated in the EU last year came from renewables, and more than a fifth of that from solar.
The same trend is seen elsewhere. The United States now has around 248 gigawatts of installed solar capacity, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). California remains the leader with about 52 gigawatts, but states such as Texas, Arizona and Florida are rapidly expanding. Texas alone is expected to double its installed capacity within the next decade. Ten years ago, only three US states had more than one gigawatt of solar installed. Today, thirty-three do.
While solar’s rise is an undeniable success, it also presents operational challenges. Integrating new generation into networks designed for one way power flows is complex. Congestion and curtailment are now pressing issues.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) highlights how grid congestion can slow the energy transition. In the Netherlands, for example, solar PV capacity grew by 500 percent between 2018 and 2023, largely through rooftop installations. However, grid capacity did not expand at the same pace. The result has been bottlenecks, long connection queues and costly congestion management. In 2022, transmission system operator TenneT spent more than EUR 388 million managing grid constraints, while thousands of new generation projects waited for access.
The situation is similar elsewhere in Europe and in the United States. The traditional approach of expanding or rebuilding grid infrastructure is often too slow and expensive to match the pace of renewable growth. A more immediate and cost effective solution is to optimise the use of existing assets through grid enhancing technologies.
Dynamic Line Rating (DLR) is one of the most effective tools for improving grid efficiency. Conventional line ratings are based on conservative, worst case assumptions about temperature and weather conditions. These static ratings ensure safety, but they also restrict how much power a line can carry under typical real world conditions.
This is particularly relevant for solar power. Higher solar irradiation means higher temperatures and increased generation, just when static ratings limit transmission capacity. In effect, solar peaks can coincide with reduced grid capability.
DLR offers a way to change that. By measuring the actual temperature, wind and environmental conditions affecting a line, it provides an accurate, real time picture of its true capacity. Ampacimon’s patented sensor technology measures vibration and wind speed directly on conductors, powered by induction from the line current. This allows operators to assess sag, cooling effects and available headroom with precision.
Wind behaviour can vary significantly over short distances, and even small errors in estimation can affect safety margins. By physically measuring conditions on each conductor span, Ampacimon’s sensors remove this uncertainty. The data is combined with advanced weather forecasting and probabilistic machine learning to predict conductor conditions and available capacity hours in advance.
The result is a far more precise and responsive understanding of grid performance. In many cases, DLR can enable power lines to carry up to 40 percent more current than under static ratings, safely and reliably.
Ampacimon’s technology has already demonstrated its benefits across Europe, the United States and Asia. In Japan, a year long field study tested the company’s DLR system on a transmission span connecting large photovoltaic facilities. Throughout the trial, conductor temperatures never reached the maximum allowable level of 90 degrees Celsius, even when currents exceeded static limits by 100 amperes.
Simulations conducted after the trial assessed how much PV curtailment could be avoided. The results showed that for an additional 20 megawatts of solar generation, curtailment time would fall from 576 hours under static ratings to just 40 hours using DLR, a reduction of 93 percent.
Dynamic Line Rating provides a proven way to increase renewable integration and reduce curtailment without waiting for new infrastructure. By focusing on real time data and local conditions, it allows networks to safely deliver more clean energy to consumers.
Ampacimon’s technology continues to help grid operators make the most of their existing assets, turning data into actionable insight for a more resilient and efficient power system.
To learn more about how Dynamic Line Rating can unlock hidden capacity and support the energy transition, visit www.ampacimon.com.
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