The USA is the second largest electricity producer in the world. However, an outdated infrastructure presents the high-tech country with major challenges. Controllable and digital transformers are helping to overcome a whole range of challenges and make the existing grid fit for the future.
4,406.4 terawatt hours, or around 16 percent of global production, are transported through the USA’s electricity grids. With around 400,000 kilometers of high-voltage lines, thousands of substations and transformer stations and over 1,700 distribution grid operators, the US power grid is one of the largest and most complex technical systems in the world. Over 3,000 companies are involved in the supply of electricity and deliver an energy mix in which renewable energies (RE) play an increasingly important role. The share of RE has risen from around ten percent in 2010 to over 22 percent today.
Solar and wind power are the most important sources. Targeted government support, such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed in 2022, has already led to significant investment in these technologies. In 2023, the USA had an installed wind capacity of more than 130 gigawatts and an installed solar capacity of around 120 gigawatts. And according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the share of renewables in the U.S. electricity mix is expected to grow to around 44 percent by 2050.
16
percent
of the world’s electricity is transported through the electricity grids in the USA.
1700
grid operators
in the USA, making it one of the most complex grids in the world.
More electricity through older grids
However, the ambitious climate targets are coming up against a largely outdated infrastructure. According to reports from the US Department of Energy (DOE) and organizations such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), parts of today’s power grids, such as transmission lines and transformers, date back to the 1960s or even the 1950s. About 70 percent of the transmission lines in the U.S. are over 25 years old. The expansion of the transmission grids and the elimination of grid bottlenecks are therefore the key tasks for advancing the integration of renewables and achieving the climate targets. “And this affects all grid levels,” says Robert Vary, CEO and President of Reinhausen Manufacturing, adding: “From private rooftop solar systems to large offshore wind farms and solar parks, more and more electricity will have to be fed into the grid in the future. Delays in grid connection, high costs for upgrading existing systems and inefficiencies are hurdles and therefore stand in the way of RE growth targets.” ( See Interview with Robert Vary).
“From private rooftop solar systems to large offshore wind farms and solar parks, more and more electricity will have to be fed into the grid in the future.”
Robert Vary, CEO and President at Reinhausen Manufacturing
This is where programs to modernize the grids, such as the Federal-State Modern Grid Deployment Initiative or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, come in: These initiatives aim to increase grid capacity and resilience simply by modernizing the existing infrastructure and deploying modern technology such as grid-improving technologies. The aim is to double the transmission capacity of the existing electricity grid without adding new lines.
Statements from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) indicate that the modernization of infrastructure, especially through digitalized transformers and switching transformers, could play a key role in improving grid stability. These technologies enable better control of the flow of electricity and help to make grids more flexible and resilient to load fluctuations and extreme weather events.
130
gigawatts
is the installed wind capacity in the USA.
44
percent
This is the share of renewables in the US electricity mix by 2050.
In its report on power system transformation, the IEA emphasizes that grid flexibility can be improved through digital technologies. Transformers can be monitored and make a significant contribution to the stability, reliability and resilience of the grids. The NREL also emphasizes the possibilities for predictive maintenance. Digitalized transformers can reduce failures and increase efficiency. Continuous monitoring of operating parameters is also possible. The advantage: fewer failures and lower maintenance costs.
Increasing the efficiency of grids with digital transformers
Another factor is that the workforce in the US energy sector is currently experiencing a demographic transition, with many seasoned professionals approaching retirement, highlighting the value of their expertise and the importance of preparing for the next generation of talent. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2023 U.S. Energy Employment Report (USEER), many employees in technical positions in the energy supply sector are close to retirement. Over the next ten years, companies will lose many experienced specialists and their expertise, which cannot be easily replaced due to the shortage of skilled workers. Here, too, transformer digitalization can make an important contribution.
Digital technologies therefore also play a key role in the USA in accelerating the transition to a sustainable energy system by supporting both grid stability and the integration of renewable energies. Reinhausen is making its contribution to this.

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