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HVCRC conductor, composed of a structural composite core made from carbon fiber and annealed aluminum strands. Source (All Images) | Epsilon Composite

Carbon fiber pultrusion company Epsilon Composite (Gaillan en Médoc, France) and  (Lacq, France), a subsidiary of Toray Industries (Tokyo, Japan), have been working together for 15 years to promote the use of carbon fiber in electrical infrastructure. This collaboration has culminated in numerous projects worldwide as well as a major framework agreement recently signed in the Netherlands. 

Since the qualification of Epsilon Composite’s HVCRC conductors technology in 2010 — high-capacity, high-temperature, low-sag conductors made of a composite core using Torayca carbon fiber and highly conductive trapezoidal aluminum wires — the two French companies have played a key role in modernizing and strengthening power grids globally.

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HVCRC’s light weight, strength and high thermal stability is able to effectively replace traditional metal cables, the companies report. The composite cables are capable of doubling the capacity of existing power lines quickly. In contrast, building new, traditional lines typically takes over a decade and requires significant investment.

Increasing transmission capacity is also essential to meet the growing global demand for electricity and to connect new renewable energy sources (such as solar and wind) in support of decarbonization efforts. HVCRC cables achieve a 30% reduction in electrical losses, enhanced grid resilience to extreme weather events and a reduced risk of wildfires. 

“After 40 years of collaboration, including 15 years on composite cores, Epsilon Composite and Toray Carbon Fibers Europe demonstrate the strength of a long-standing, innovative and effective industrial partnership, placing the composites sector at the heart of the global energy transition challenge,” says Alexandre LULL, deputy CEO of Epsilon Composite.

Several thousand kilometers of Epsilon Composite’s cable solution has already been installed across the Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe and the Americas. The composite core conductors have also recently been selected for several major contracts in Europe. One is from European grid operator TenneT (Arnhem, Netherlands), which selected the HVCRC technology to modernize the entire Dutch 400-kilovolt high-voltage grid until 2030.

Following a tender launched in 2024, TenneT selected two European cable manufacturers partnered with Epsilon Composite —Nexans and DeAngeli Prodotti — to produce HVCRC conductors. For this tender, the Dutch grid operator challenged suppliers to optimize not only their products but also supply chains and operations to minimize electrical losses and greenhouse gas emissions throughout the product life cycle. TenneT also required a life cycle analysis to assess the environmental impact of the products, integrating this data into the evaluation process.

Epsilon Composite’s proactive efforts over the years to assess and optimize the environmental impact of its production and supply chain contributed significantly to this process.

Implementation of the framework agreement has already begun, with two pilot projects underway to qualify HVCRC cables manufactured by Nexans and DeAngeli Prodotti, as well as Epsilon’s Corecheck technology, which ensures the integrity of the composite core at every stage of manufacturing and installation. The project is expected to continue until all remaining metallic conductors on TenneT’s 400-kilovolt lines are replaced.

“We are convinced that this HVCRC technology is contributing to the future of electrification in the European and global markets,” adds Armin Klesing, marketing and sales director at Toray Carbon Fibers Europe

Both Epsilon Composite and Toray continue to invest in R&D and production capacities to support market growth. Toray Carbon Fibers Europe is completing the construction of a sixth carbon fiber production line, set to be operational by the end of 2025. This new line will further strengthen the company’s supply to the European market and guarantee a national supply of the material.