The power grid and the impact of high-temperature superconductor technology

Abstract This chapter gives an overview of the electric power grid, the major challenges it faces in the future, and its major components: overhead lines, underground cables, transformers, electric generators, reactive compensators, voltage regulators, circuit breakers, and fault current limiters. It introduces superconductors and their major properties relevant to applications: the transition temperature, zero resistance, flux exclusion, critical current, and critical fields. Finally, it describes briefly the status and prospects for superconductor power equipment: alternating and direct current cables, fault current limiters, transformers, rotating machinery, and superconductor magnetic energy storage. Overall, although challenges related to cost, reliability, standardization, and utility industry acceptance remain, prospects for broad commercialization of superconductor power grid technology are increasingly promising.

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