APAR Industries Ltd has made an arrangement with AssetCool (Cable Coatings Limited), headquartered in England, UK.
The agreement
Under this arrangement, AssetCool has granted APAR a commercial license to procure and apply its proprietary photonic coatings, in specific the SE01 (Surface Enhanced) coating, together with the associated application equipment, enabling APAR to manufacture coated conductors and offer the same across India and international markets. The companies have also agreed in principle to further collaborate on deploying AssetCool’s in-field coating robotics range, to increase the capacity of existing overhead lines in due course.
Photonic coatings
AssetCool is a global grid technology company developing surface engineering and advanced robotic solutions to increase the capacity and performance of overhead power lines. Its proprietary photonic coatings improve conductor thermal performance, enabling increased ampacity and more efficient use of grid infrastructure. AssetCool’s technology can be integrated into new conductors during manufacturing or applied to existing lines in the field using robotics, providing solutions for both new-build and existing transmission infrastructure.
Technology Collaboration
Over the last five years, APAR Industries Ltd and AssetCool have collaborated on R&D and innovation front to develop SE01-coated aluminium conductors for overhead transmission lines. The partnership combines AssetCool’s photonic coating technology with APAR’s conductor manufacturing expertise to develop conductor solutions aimed at achieving ultra-low losses, low sag, high ampacity and longer life cycle. Together, the teams have undertaken technology development, process optimisation, trials, testing, simulations and field evaluations, supported by advanced testing and monitoring capabilities. Sustained R&D has driven process optimisation, equipment upgrades and independent product validation by third-party laboratories. The technology has consequently progressed from concept to a validated, scalable solution, ready for commercial deployment in advanced overhead transmission applications.
Coated Conductors: Low Absorptivity, High Emissivity, Higher Ampacity
AssetCool’s coatings enable passive thermal management, unlocking additional ampacity on overhead conductors. By reducing solar heat absorption and increasing thermal emissivity, SE01 lowers conductor operating temperatures by up to 25 per cent under comparable power transfer scenarios. This enables up to a 30 per cent increase in ampacity or approximately a 10 per cent reduction in power loss as a result of lower conductor operating temperatures and associated electrical resistance, enhancing the performance and efficiency of overhead T&D conductors including High Temperature Low Sag (HTLS) conductors.
Sustainable Grid Technology: From New Lines to Existing Lines
The technology provides a scalable pathway to enhance transmission capacity and conductor performance across greenfield projects and existing-line uprating, while improving energy efficiency, reducing transmission losses and supporting lower-carbon grid development.
Greenfield projects: For new transmission projects, factory-applied coating enables utilities to incorporate enhanced conductor performance from the outset, delivering higher ampacity and improved thermal efficiency without requiring changes to established installation practices. The coated conductors can be deployed using existing tools, accessories and installation procedures, supporting seamless integration.
Brownfield/uprate projects: For existing transmission lines, while HTLS reconductoring can substantially increase transmission capacity within existing corridors, coated HTLS conductors will further enhance their performance and capacity, enabling significantly higher power transfer over existing transmission infrastructure.
Robotic retrofits: The broader collaboration will also facilitate the joint deployment of AssetCool’s robotic in-situ coating technology across suitable transmission projects, enabling existing conductors to be coated and upgraded while lines remain energised. This will enhance transmission capacity without requiring line shutdowns, dismantling or extensive infrastructure modifications, offering utilities a practical and cost-efficient pathway to upgrade existing transmission infrastructure while maintaining uninterrupted power flow.
Unlocking additional capacity
Commenting on the development, Chaitanya N. Desai, Managing Director, APAR Industries Ltd said, “The global power sector is entering a defining phase where increasing transmission capacity is becoming just as critical as generating new power. As utilities worldwide seek faster and more costeffective ways to optimise and modernise their grids, advanced coated conductors represent a compelling opportunity to unlock additional capacity. Our collaboration positions us at the forefront of this emerging market, enabling us to deliver differentiated solutions that support the evolving energy landscape, reduce carbon emissions, and create long-term value for customers and stakeholders.”
Manish Agrawal, CEO, Conductor and Telecom Businesses, APAR Industries Ltd, added, “This collaboration represents an important step in expanding APAR’s portfolio of value-added conductor solutions. By incorporating advanced surface engineering into our manufacturing platform, we are creating a new category of high-performance coated conductors that will help utilities optimise grid efficiency, enhance system reliability, extend asset life, reduce lifecycle losses and strengthen the resilience of transmission infrastructure, helping create a future-ready grid.”
Niall Coogan, CEO of AssetCool, said, “APAR is a global leader in advanced conductors, and there is immense synergy between its next-generation conductor technologies and our photonic coatings. It is a great honour to launch our first commercial licence with one of the world’s largest and most innovative conductor manufacturers. We look forward to commercialising this technology globally with APAR and, in the near future, rapidly deploying our robotic in-field uprating solutions together.”
Featured photograph (source: assetcool.com) is for representation only