High-Temperature Superconductivity:
Where We Are and Why We Are Going Forward
All around the world, privately held firms are striving to make economically viable engineering materials from high-temperature superconductors (HTS). These firms, together with their many partners in the national laboratories and universities, have already demonstrated the technical feasibility of pre-commercial HTS equipment. The next step is to produce low-cost, high-reliability HTS material and equipment.
This goal attracts such effort because HTS promises to improve the generation, transmission, distribution and use of electric power — a world-wide desire that, once fulfilled, will have substantial economic and environmental benefits. Simply put, more power and less environmental impact.
With such promise and such a technical challenge, in a time of governmental austerity, organizations around the world have come together, under the auspices of the International Energy Agency, in a cooperative effort to exchange information, share perspectives and reliably evaluate the status and assess the prospects for future use of HTS by the electric power sector. Indeed, this web site is one result of that effort.
Character of collaboration
Participants share the costs of funding an Operating Agent which prepares reports on topics of mutual interest. The Participants also contribute to the work of the Operating Agent by determining priorities and contributing their knowledge to reports. From time-to-time workshops on specific topics are organized to further the understanding of issues and, where appropriate, to develop collaborative research projects. Utility groups such as KEPRI and Hydro-Quebec and manufacturers such as Bruker HTS, Columbus Superconductors, and Siemens, as well as, government research laboratories and universities participate in the activities of the Programme. Further, firms and other institutions within each member nation have been generous with their help.
