EERE's I&I Program Funds Next Generation Cable Manufacturing Process

March 18, 2002

EERE's Inventions and Innovation (I&I) program and the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Advanced Technology Program awarded $2.7 million dollars to W. Brandt Goldsworthy & Associates for development and deployment of a next generation cable manufacturing processing, called InfoWatt.

The InfoWatt is an advanced electrical conductor that can be used for overhead transmission and distribution cable. Unlike existing conductors, InfoWatt has been designed to carry fiber optic filaments in its electrically neutral core. The InfoWatt cable enables power companies and other users to double the capacity of existing rights-of-way. The technology can be used to produce products for numerous other markets, notably marine, transportation, and industrial applications. It estimated that InfoWatt could generate over $2 billion dollars in savings for users.

Later this year, the InfoWatt cable will be demonstrated for multiple power distributors, agencies, and communication companies including Tennessee Valley Authority, California Energy Commission together with Southern California Edison.

For further information on the new InfoWatt technology, please visit http://www.wbgoldsworthy.com/infowatt.html  or contact Lisa Barnett, EERE's Inventions and Innovation Team Lead, at 202-586-2212 or lisa.barnett@ee.doe.gov.