ShareSuperconducting cable for urban electricity
Part of AmpaCity project, the 1km, 10 kV high temperature ceramic-based superconductive cable is the world’s longest and the first to have been integrated into an urban electricity grid in Essen, Germany.
Part of AmpaCity project, the 1km, 10 kV high temperature ceramic-based superconductive cable is the world’s longest and the first to have been integrated into an urban electricity grid in Essen, Germany.
During 180 days of flawless test, the cable, replacing a 110kV copper cable ten-times thicker, delivered about 20m kWh of energy, powering approximately 10,000 households. Made of tree layers of bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide, the cable is cooled down with liquid nitrogen at -207°C to become superconductive, eliminating electrical resistance and minimizing transmission losses. The test is extended until 2016 to see whether the system performs well in various weather conditions.
German scientist, Georg Bednorz, Nobel Prize for Physics for the discovery of high temperature superconductors (HTS) such as those used in this project, expressed optimism that superconductors could revolutionize power transmission in the not-so-distant future.
Cold Facts, February 2015
During 180 days of flawless test, the cable, replacing a 110kV copper cable ten-times thicker, delivered about 20m kWh of energy, powering approximately 10,000 households. Made of tree layers of bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide, the cable is cooled down with liquid nitrogen at -207°C to become superconductive, eliminating electrical resistance and minimizing transmission losses. The test is extended until 2016 to see whether the system performs well in various weather conditions.
German scientist, Georg Bednorz, Nobel Prize for Physics for the discovery of high temperature superconductors (HTS) such as those used in this project, expressed optimism that superconductors could revolutionize power transmission in the not-so-distant future.
Cold Facts, February 2015