Random thought: could you insulate high voltage wires in pipes and blow cold air through those? Any loss would become “free” heating for homes nearby.
Almost all electricity run through computers are basically resistance losses at the end of the day, so data centers and crypto miners on the other hand...
> Typically, high-voltage transmission lines are designed to operate at temperatures of around 75 to 100°C (167 to 212°F). However, under heavy loads, they can sometimes reach up to 150°C (302°F), but this is usually the upper limit for safe operation.
If that's a core temperature then the insulation might not make it significant, but if the outside leaks this much... I might not mind paying myself for a plastic tube and a fan to use around the line if I lived near one. Okay okay, it'll be more complicated than that, but still: free energy? And you're doing the power company a favor by decreasing the resistance in the case of most metals (https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/resistivity-conductivity-...) including copper which https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-voltage_cable says they're made of
Beyond that, you're likely also decreasing the maximal electrical current the wires can carry, as they won't be able to dissipate the heat as effectively with the additionally insulation.
- insulating high voltage lines isn't trivial
- the conductor will be hot inside the insulation...
- service cost of either system will be increased (by rather a lot, I'd guess)