Currently, the major policy concerning sustainable power transformers in Europe is the Eco-design Directive, which provides consistent EU-wide rules for improving the environmental performance of products. EU’s Eco-design Tier 2 regulation aims to reduce energy losses by 10% for power transformers compared to the Tier 1 regulation levels.
Therefore, power constraints of transformers can be overcome by using the appropriate flexibility. However, transformers have a physical limit of energy transfer which cannot be overpassed. This energy limit represents the unique transformer's loading profile, ensuring the highest energy transfer under a given ambient temperature profile.
Europe’s ambitious targets for renewable energy generation and EV adoption, coupled with regulatory initiatives like the EU’s Eco-design Directive, are driving the need for advanced transformer technologies such as high-grade steel, digital, and ester oil-based transformers.
However, transformers have a physical limit of energy transfer which cannot be overpassed. This energy limit represents the unique transformer's loading profile, ensuring the highest energy transfer under a given ambient temperature profile. The paper explains how the energy limit can be calculated.
These efforts translate to a surging demand for advanced transformer technologies such as high-grade steel, digital and ester oil-based power transformers in the European market. Advanced power transformers integrate state-of-the-art technologies with the transformers to assist utilities in transitioning to clean energy sources.
Interestingly, if transformers have the thermally-upgraded paper (with rated HST = 110 °C), the total energy transfer can be higher than nominal rating up to 25%. Such additional energy transfer (16–25 %) can be especially beneficial if transformer is limiting a low-cost generation.