A review on new methods for increasing the ampacity of underground power cables: Cool and photovoltaic pavements

Abstract

The introduction of cool and photovoltaic pavements in underground power cable engineering can contribute to reducing global warming and our dependency on fossil fuels. In this case, a cool or photovoltaic pavement would decrease the temperature of the pavement surface above an underground cable line, which would leave open the possibility for a significant increase in its ampacity. A cool pavement would only mitigate the Urban Heat Island effect, while a photovoltaic pavement would reduce this effect and at the same time generate electricity without emissions of the greenhouse gases. In this paper, the various existing and new methods for increasing the ampacity of underground cable lines are presented and discussed. By means of a comparative evaluation, their advantages and disadvantages are highlighted. In addition, the factors that determine the selection of the method are identified