Development of Superconducting Wires and Tapes

   High-temperature superconductors (HTS) manufactured in the form of long tapes have the potential for playing a significant role in a future energy grid with low CO₂ footprint due in to their ability to transport current with negligible power losses. Among other promising devices, HTS generators and transformers have the potential to deliver electrical power in smaller, lighter and more efficient systems than those based on conventional conductors. Such devices necessitate HTS tapes of significant length (100 m or more) with end-to-end performance suitable for the relevant applications. Besides their potential contribution towards a sustainable economy, superconducting devices made of HTS tapes also represent an attractive market, which is in an emerging phase. According to CONECTUS [1], the global market share of HTS is expected to expand about fourfold from 2009 to 2013 to reach an annual value close to 0.5 B€, while power applications based on these tapes will only start reaching the status of an established market.

[1]        http://www.conectus.org/market.html

Development Projects within Superconducting Wires and Tapes

•   Development of long length coated conductor tapes
•   Ni-reinforcement of Bi-based powder-in-tube tapes
•   Green chemistry processing of HTS coated conductors

 
The superconducting wires development group in March 2010.