/ Applications / TiniFiber – For Reliable Long-Distance Connections in All Conditions
Renewable energy systems rely on high-speed data networks for real-time monitoring and fault detection, requiring robust technology that can endure the harshest conditions and last for decades without degradation.
With its groundbreaking stainless steel and Kevlar® design, TiniFiber® Micro Armor Fiber™ is the most flexible, adaptable, and critically durable broadband fiber optic cable available.
Being 65% smaller and 75% lighter than traditional aluminum interlocking armor (AIA) fiber, Micro Armor Fiber boasts the industry’s smallest outer diameter of any armored fiber optic cable, allowing for greater capacity in smaller conduits. Its innovative, tightly wrapped stainless steel coil design provides unmatched armored flexibility.
Renewable fiber optic challenges
From offshore wind farms and hydroelectric projects to desert-based solar fields, large-scale renewable energy generation sites are often located in remote and hard-to-reach areas. Servicing and maintenance can be highly challenging, and downtime is costly.
However, these systems are prone to damage, with factors like rain, temperature fluctuations, UV exposure, and rodent activity contributing to the erosion and weakening of fiber optic casings.
These sites also run for many years—typically 20 to 30 years or longer—so the cables need to be exceptionally durable.
Finally, such sites are subject to regulatory and safety compliance, and the cabling must meet local and international standards (such as IEC or UL) for renewable energy installations.
UV radiation
Exposed to the elements 24/7, fiber optics for renewables—especially those used in solar sites—face exceptional levels of UV radiation, which can quickly weaken standard fiber optic cables.
Rodent damage
External cables are commonly targeted by rodents like rats and mice. Armor protection is needed to prevent damage, and TiniFiber uses a patented steel-Kevlar® mix to deter even the most determined pests.
Wind, rain, snow and hail
External cables must withstand high moisture levels, as well as wind and hail, which can wear down standard cables over time.
Extremes of temperature
From wind farms in Antarctica, where temperatures can drop to -80°F (-62°C), to solar fields in the Mojave Desert, where temperatures exceed 130°F (55°C), renewable energy systems face extreme conditions. Fiber optics need to be rugged enough to cope even after protection is added.
Improving communication for future renewable energy generation
The share of renewable energy in the U.S. is expected to increase, accounting for half of all energy generated by 2050 (up from just 3% in 2023). Communication infrastructure plays a critical role in ensuring these sites run optimally, identifying faults, and allowing them to scale to support new infrastructure and data loads without requiring upgrades.
The fiber optic cabling used in many solar and wind farms is often outdated and prone to environmental damage. Additionally, older fiber cables encased in AIA are clogging the limited conduit spaces, as they are disproportionately large in diameter compared to the fiber cables they house.
Advances in armored cabling technology now allow for aluminum interlocking armor to be replaced with a steel and Kevlar® mix, creating Micro Armor Fiber™. This innovation enables 144 fibers to be encased in a smaller diameter than a traditional 12-fiber AIA cable, while offering enhanced protection from the harsh environments in which these sites are located.
Find a Manufacturer’s Representative
The full line of TiniFiber® Micro Armor Fiber™ Optic Cable is available through our nationwide network of Manufacturer’s Representatives.
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