Archive for April 21st, 2010

ABB has developed a new ABB. They are opening internal divisions to form a one stop shopping experience for the utility. Mark Wells & Bill Rose took me around the booth showing off all their new technology. They explained how this new approach will help them and the industry too. Go see it.

From shear booth size you have to see this place. They have full scale equipment on the floor. I would have loved to have watched the set up, but it started last week - they worked very hard and long.

The folks at Southwire have a very cool project. They are installing their HTS cable (Triax). This is technology you have to see to believe. The cable will be installed in the Metairie area of New Orleans. Go talk to David Lindsay about it. You will be amazed at how this technology has matured.

Go to Alcan’s booth. Ask them to show you their new transmission line technology. They have advanced conductors.

They have monitors for the line that lets you transfer more power down the line without re-conductoring. Its magic Mike Francher will fill you in. That is all I am going to say you have to visit them. Also, they are winning my booth toy so far let Mike show you what I found. It is toooooo Cool.

Have you seen the Hubble Booth - how could you miss it. It is huge. Its jam-packed with technology. Look for the wind turbine model. My friend Dick Erdel took me all through the booth. Hubble had to have 4 semi-trucks to bring all this stuff here. It took them 5 days to fill their 4,000 sq ft.

They have a real neat booth toy too. They are giving away a Bass Pro certificate to some lucky person or persons. Ask about it.

I am an HVDC junkie. The technology is addictive. I found a valve module at ABB’s booth and two of my HVDC friends were there ahead of me. Ben Mehraban (AEP) and Aftab Khan (ABB) were inspecting the components. We had a great time visiting. If you want to find out about the technology talk to ABB.

American Superconductor has a way cool project and they are talking about. My buddy Jack McCall took me through a project called Tres Amigas. It is going to have superconducting underground cable system connecting the HVDC portion of the project. The cables will transfer over 5,000MW or more this way. Go to Jack and ask about it. He is excited.

Remember the old style phone booth? What do you mean phone booth. Way back in the dark ages, telephones were kept in glass and wooden housings. You went inside and put coins in the phone and made your call. (Superman changed clothes in there too). Well,I saw one on the floor today at the MacLean Power System booth. It was full of money and a fan was blowing the money around. Rumor has it someone will get in there and start grabbing. I’ll have to check this out further.