Technical developments for the future transmission grid

Recent technical and political developments require investments in the transmission grid. Up to recently, the only solutions for grid reinforcement were transmission lines and underground cables. Today much more technologies are or become available. The rising environmental concerns and the difficulties of obtaining right-of-way show that an assessment of these technologies on a mere techno-economical basis is no longer sufficient. This paper investigates overhead lines, new conductor types, underground cables, conventional ones as well as gas insulated and superconducting, FACTS and HVDC on a technical, economical, political, social and environmental basis. It can serve as aid in selecting the most appropriate technology for a given case