Development Trends of Zinc Oxide Arresters in Renewable Energy Power Transmission and Distribution Systems. Against the backdrop of global energy transition towards green and low-carbon solutions, zinc oxide surge arresters (MOAs) are evolving with the following key development directions in power transmission and distribution systems:
Enhanced Compatibility With Renewable Energy Systems
DC System Specialization: Development of DC MOAs with lower residual voltage ratio (<1.8) for PV plants and offshore wind farm DC collection systems, addressing accelerated aging issues of traditional AC arresters in DC environments.
High-Frequency Performance Optimization Improved frequency response characteristics of ZnO varistors to accommodate high-frequency harmonics from power electronic devices (e.g., inverters, SVG), reducing switching impulse protection levels by 15-20%.
Compact Design
30% smaller modular MOAs to meet the construction needs of renewable energy plants.
Intelligentization And Condition Monitoring
Integrated Smart Sensors
Incorporating partial discharge, temperature rise and leakage current monitoring modules for real-time condition assessment (compliant with IEC 60099-8).
Digital Twin Applications
Varistor aging models enabling 90% accurate remaining life prediction through big data analytics.
Adaptive Protection
Dynamic adjustment of protection characteristics based on system conditions (e.g., automatic protection level increase during typhoon season).
Material And Process Innovation
Advanced Doping Technology
Rare-earth element (Y, Pr) doped ZnO varistors with current capacity increased to 400A/cm² (vs conventional 150A/cm²).
Eco-friendly Insulation
Bio-degradable silicone rubber housings meeting EU RoHS 3.0 requirements.
✔ 20% cost reduction through material optimization (vs 2020 levels). ✔ Extended service life to 25 years (vs conventional 15 years). ✔40% reduced O&M costs (via condition-based maintenance strategies)
Application Cases
✔ China's Zhangbei VSC-HVDC project utilizing new MOAs with lightning impulse residual voltage below 825kV (±500kV system). ✔ Denmark's Horns Rev 3 offshore wind farm achieving 70% failure rate reduction with moisture-resistant MOAs.
Intelligentization And Condition Monitoring
✔ Protection Coordination in Power Electronic Systems: Developing ns-level response MOAs matching SiC device characteristics ✔ Recycling Difficulties: Establishing closed-loop ZnO varistor recycling systems (current rate <30%) ✔ International Standard Competition: Strengthening influence in IEC/TC37 working groups
The global renewable energy MOA market is projected to reach $3.5B by 2030 (CAGR 8.7%), with key innovations focusing on: ✔ DC system protection reliability improvement ✔ Deep integration with digital grids ✔ Lifecycle carbon footprint reduction
Manufacturers should prioritize: ✔ Collaborative design with inverter manufacturers ✔ AI applications in aging diagnostics ✔ Modular product series for new grid architectures
