1. technology and computing

ELECTRIC WIRE & CABLE, ENERGY
Toward Practical Application of High-Temperature
Superconducting Technology
- How to Proceed with Fundamental and Innovative
Research and Development that Extends Over Ultra
Long Period of Time Ryosuke HATA
It is needless to say that high-temperature superconducting (HTS) technology is one of the most important and
innovative technologies for the 21st century, which is said to be the “century of energy, resources and
environment”. There are some opinions, however, that HTS technology is still premature although it is 20 years
since it was discovered in 1986.
Focusing principally on HTS technology (mainly Sumitomo Electric’s first-generation HTS wire “DI-BSCCO”)
and its products, this paper studies on what kind of features the fundamentally new and innovative
technologies and products have in their research and development (R&D) stage, and how to proceed with their
R&D, especially how the public funds to maintain and promote such R&D should be, during the long time
needed to put them into practical use.
1. Introduction
High-temperature superconductivity (HTS) is one
of the most important new technologies in the 21st century, a century where mankind focuses its efforts on
energy, resources, and the environment. Although it has
been 20 years since the HTS phenomenon was discovered in 1986, the innovative technology has not become
used as widely as it should be. There is even an opinion
that it is too early to practically apply HTS technology.
Focusing on HTS (mainly first-generation DIBSCCO superconductor), this report discusses and
reviews the characteristics of the research and development of new basic technologies and products, which
take an extremely long period of time to put to practical
application, how they should be deployed, the nature
and significance of public funds, and how these funds
should be invested.
2. Uniqueness of HTS
Although humankind (and all other living things)
cannot live without energy, resources, and the environment, in addition to food, human beings overlooked
the importance of energy, resources, and the environment until the end of the 20th century, as if thinking
these crucial aspects of daily lives would be indefinitely
accessible.
On February 16, 2005, the Kyoto Protocol became
effective. It was a symbolic event indicating that
humankind had finally been enlightened, upon entering the 21st century, to the fact that energy, resources,
and the environment are finite, and that their sustain-
ability would not be ensured if they are to be consumed
without some kind of restrictions.
The greatest reason that all existing living creatures
including humans continued to exist until today is
because the total energy required for all living forms to
continue their activities can be covered by incoming
solar energy. Today, the energy consumed by human
activities has ballooned to the extent that the principle
is not necessarily true anymore. Therefore, if the
increase in the total number of humans cannot intentionally be restricted and also if the increase in human
energy consumption cannot be controlled under the
current framework of policies and social activities, the
only solution left would be to develop novel systems
required for human activity using advanced, innovative
technologies.
HTS, as a new innovative technology to ensure
human survival, was expected to lead a new trend.
Twenty years have passed since it was first discovered in
1986, but it is not yet used to its maximum potential.
Instead, the number of research organizations, businesses, and scientists who are involved in developing and
putting HTS into practical application is decreasing
yearly. Presently, only a handful of organizations and
businesses in Japan and the U.S. strive toward its practical application and commercialization. Moreover, only
two types of HTS conductor have survived today: firstgeneration (1G) superconductor (BSCCO or Bi2223)
discovered in Japan in 1988 and second-generation
(2G) rare-earth superconductor (YBCO, HoBCO or
RE123) discovered in the U.S. in 1987. Apparently, competition over the development with public investment in
the U.S. and Japan is narrowing down to 2G.
HTS is a new technology supporting the infrastructure of energy, resources, and the environment. To clar-
48 · Toward Practical Application of High-Temperature Superconducting Technology - How to Proceed with Fundamental and Innovative Research and Development that Extends Over Ultra Long Period of Time -
ify the features of HTS technology, a comparison is
made between power facilities (HTS cables) and pharmaceutical products (Table 1). Because pharmaceutical
products are essential to life itself, development and
commercialization are typically carried out aiming to
accomplish the impossible, and thus the role or function of new inventions is easy to see. On the contrary,
motivations for applying HTS cables in power facilities
and making changes in power infrastructure are not as
strong, since power infrastructure has been already built
and functioning without HTS cables. Consequently, in
order to win recognition of benefits of HTS and
increase its application, it takes a notable amount of
time as well as extra efforts to provide incentives and
motivations.
Table 2 shows another comparison (HTS cable versus new electronics technology). In the electronics
industry, the gap in technological performance surfaces
in a very short time, and competition between products
also ends quickly. Consequently, performance comparison and performance competition are constantly ongoing amongst numerous competitors. Inevitably, assessment by users and customers is also done in an early
stage. To survive in competition, suppliers are forced to
conduct all technological development from minor
improvements to innovation on a short-term day-to-day
basis with their own funds. On the other hand, HTS
cables are unique in that the development or improvement of them starts from modifying their materials and
in that their users and manufacturers are limited during
the initial stage. This means that there is limited development competition within a particular industry and
that the determinant for user acceptance of HTS cables
is neither competitiveness nor urgent necessity. In reality, a proven track record is the important factor for electric utilities to employ a new product. Avoiding the risk
of being the first adopter of new technology, utilities
often wait and see the result of new technology introduced by competitors before employing new products.
Because the adoption of HTS cables clearly has an
impact on utilities’ corporate competence (or even
national power in some cases) in the long run, as well as
on the future of the people or humankind whose life
depends on electric power infrastructures, utilities need
to determine the adoption of HTS cables from a broad
perspective. This evidently means that the period during
which their motivation towards adoption of new technology increases is when infrastructures and facilities
are constructed or renewed on a major scale. When the
timing is not necessarily right for this motivation, therefore, financial or institutional support from governments or public organizations from a broad and long
term perspective is essential.
Table 2. Comparison of R&D & Penetration of New Product into
Market between Products
Small parts for
general-purpose
A product for large-scale
infrastructure
Example
FPC, terminal, IC
(Electronics parts)
Underground HTS
power cable
Size & amount
of use
Small size & large
amount
Large size & small
amount for specific use
Purpose
General-purpose
(private use)
Infrastructure
(Largely public use)
Customers
Unspecified
Specified (Power
utilities, etc.)
Suppliers
A large number &less
area-dependent
A limited number &
greatly area-dependent
Product life
Several years
Several decades
Product
traceability
& quality
assurance
Outright sales &
limited assurance
Registered one by one &
long-term full assurance
Product unit
price
Generally cheap
High through Ultra High
Influence of
accident
Small & limited
Large
Replacement to
new product
Easy
Not easy
Fierce (Constant
change)
Mild (But sudden
change)
Table 1. Why New Technology or New Products Are Necessary?
Needs from
market &
customers
Market
development
factor
Utility
Greatly needed against
cancer, AIDS, etc.
(Personal necessity)
Regardless of Price
Making the impossible
possible
(Curing the incurable)
Electric power systems
(HTS cable)
No immediate need due
to current technology
being available
Social necessity
Depends on
population and the
degree of civilization in
the long term
Comparison with current
technology
(Economy-oriented)
Immediate market
development
Slow market
development through
comparison &
investigation
Immediate
After long-time efforts
Artificial-induced drive is
necessary
R&D
motivation
Drug approval
(Natural penetration
among individuals)
Needs-oriented
*Performance
demonstration test
*Legal enforcement
(CO2 reduction /
emission-right)
*Green evaluation
Fund & period Small (through big)
& short term
Risk
Fund
Public
support
Product
permeation
policy
Competition
Development
Pharmaceutical products
Largely seeds-oriented
Retention of
technology &
engineers
Big cost & long term
Step-up & not so big
Big
Fund on hand
*Pool between special
companies
* (Nation’s) Public fund
*Necessary to maintain
Not difficult to
intentionally for
transfer &
maintenance & renewal
maintained by plural
*Important to succeed
makers
for new R&D
SEI TECHNICAL REVIEW · NUMBER 64 · APRIL 2007 · 49
Energy, resources, and the environment have all
been taken for granted until the end of 20th century.
Even into this century, decisions to invest funds in these
areas are difficult to make in R&D of topics that only
focuse on economical advantages. Particularly, in the
electric energy industry, which tends to be conservative
in terms of business operation due to the scale of business and the requirement of reliability, it has been difficult to provide a priori approval and long-term support
to the research, development, and practical application
of HTS materials and other new and unfamiliar materials that require many years of R&D. HTS is a novel
technology, and its development started from the
experimental modification and creation of substances.
Accordingly, companies who have been continuing
R&D of HTS materials have their own reasons or
requirements one way or another, one of which is corporate culture. Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.,
which had derived from the Sumitomo Family that has
a history of copper production for more than 400 years,
has a unique commitment to and emphasis on copper
wires. Sumitomo Electric has a very strong determination to develop the ultimate new technology in the area
of HTS materials, which they think have the potential
to surpass the performance of copper wires. To this
end, Sumitomo Electric has devoted all of their experience and expertise in copper technologies. Sumitomo
Electric researchers also have a deep-seated belief in
historical inevitability of technology (Fig. 1).
Private businesses have a mission to secure profits,
however, no matter how high the historical significance
of a research theme is, and there are limitations to
R&D. In the field of science (from principle elaboration
to feasibility demonstration), it is difficult to undertake
challenges with one’s resources only. Private companies
therefore usually wait for the results of university or
public institute research. Their challenging activities are
pursued in the field of engineering (research on practical application where scientific proof is already estab-
20th Century
21st Century
Generalized in
Japan, US, Europe
and Asia
Industrial Era
3 Major Technological
Discoveries/Inventions
Information Technology Era
Electronics
(& Optoelectronics)
Nuclear Energy
Development
Race Between
Japan & US (&
Europe)
Superconductivity
Three
Key-words
(Great Expectations)
Environment
Energy
Resources
Fig. 1. Historical Significance of High Temperature Superconductivity
(HTS)
lished). However, themes related to fundamental development are not always included in the portfolio of business departments engaged in day-to-day business activities. Without R&D policies which are clear-cut and
based on shared awareness, it is difficult for departments to pursue these themes over a long time. One
example of such a clear-cut policy is the “4:4:2” principle as shown in Fig. 2 (3), where the first 40% of the company’s resources is invested to optimize the current business, and the next 40% in developments from the current business. The last 20% is then allotted to new
themes that are uncertain but can be innovative. The
R&D of HTS technology has been categorized as a “last
20%” theme in the past 20 years. (Even if the themes
are uncertain and may not produce profits immediately,
private businesses should be able to continue investing
in research as only 20% of funds is required.)
Products
Current Modified Innovated
Products Products Products
Businesses
3. Characteristics of DI-BSCCO Development (1), (2)
Current
Businesses
[A]
40%
New
Businesses
–
New products in line
B 4 with current businesses
[B]
40% (20%)
–
“High-efficiency” &
A 4 “high-profit” in current
businesses
[C]
20%
Future new innovative
C 2 products
Marketing
*Customerorientated
*Customer
satisfaction
*Market-in
[A], [B]
(by Boat)
A
B
Personnel
*Visible target
*Observing ability
*Improvement &
upgrading
*Development
efficiency &
speed
[C]
*Product-out
*Challenging spirit
(Parachuting) *New idea (New C *Inventor
principle)
*Person of ideas
Fig. 2. Principle of “4:4:2”
However, to what extent can private entities continue uncertain investment? Analysis of case studies of optical fibers and flexible print circuits (FPCs) using the
logistic curve (S curve), an indicator used in modern
economics, shows that it takes about 20 to 25 years for a
truly influential R&D theme to culminate (Fig. 3). The
figure shows that Sumitomo Electric’s 1G DI-BSCCO
superconductor has successfully crossed the “Devil’s
River”, or the obstacles in the R&D phase, by the development of the “CT-OP (controlled-over-pressure) sintering technique (2), and at present is in the midst of overcoming the “Valley of Death”, or the obstacles in the
commercialization phase. In other words, the technology is now at a crossroad that would determine if it will be
put into practical application in several years’ time, or
end as a premature technique. Figure 4 illustrates that
2G YBCO (HoBCO) superconductor is in a stage where
the optimum material configuration and optimum manufacturing process to realize 2G tape have yet to be
established. Manufacturers are accordingly facing difficulties in focusing on large-scale intensive development
and practical application that requires enormous capital
investments and mass production because optimum
combination of material configuration and manufactur-
50 · Toward Practical Application of High-Temperature Superconducting Technology - How to Proceed with Fundamental and Innovative Research and Development that Extends Over Ultra Long Period of Time -
ing process is still unknown. If a more practical combination is discovered after having built the required facilities through a series of intensive investments, a huge
amount of money may be wasted. Strictly speaking, 2G is
currently in a state of immediately before finishing
crossing the “Devil’s River” (Fig. 3). Consequently, if 2G
is undertaken as a theme by itself, it may take more than
20 to 25 years for it to overcome the “Valley of Death”
on the logistic curve. In order to achieve success instead
of dismissing the technology as premature (in other
words, to achieve breakthrough, further efforts by
researchers and engineers are required), a different
logic is required.
There seems to be a need to switch to the policy of
overcoming the “Valley of Death” through the integration of 1G and 2G tape architectures (1G + 2G = HTS)
by maximizing the benefits of the practical application
of existing 1G DI-BSCCO (Fig. 5). Traditionally, 2G
HTS research has been maintained by hoping that the
performance expected of 2G would exceed 1G to a considerable extent. As a matter of fact, 1G has been con-
Devil’s River
CT-OP
t
men cts
elop
Dev S Produ
T
of H
100-m-long HTS Cable
as
Devil’s River
Research
ility
tab
rke
20 to 25 years
Discovery
Discovery
of HTS
of YBCO
1986 1988
2000
Valley of Death
Development
Expansion
of HTS
Market
Ma
Discovery
of BSCCO
Darwinian Sea
Expected
Appearance of
HTS Ventures
HTS
Materials
Ventures
R＆
D
Supply of
HTS Tape
Samples
we
ll a
s
Valley of Death
Patents
2003
2010-15
(Year)
Darwinian Sea
Commercialization
Industrialization
(Business)
Products
(Industry)
Goods
Fig. 3. Logistic Curve (or S Curve) for High Temperature Superconductivity
(HTS)
sidered the competitor by 2G developers. The policy
shift is very important because HTS R&D should be conducted on a broader perspective by integrating 1G and
2G to cross the “Valley of Death”. Fortunately, 1G
BSCCO has crossed the “Devil’s River” at an early stage
(Fig. 3), and the optimum combination of material configuration and manufacturing process is already known
(Fig. 4). In this stage, however, most researchers in the
industry concluded that early progress cannot be
expected for 1G, and focused their R&D efforts on 2G,
because it was thought that in the case of 2G the control
of material formation (including the atomic arrangement) is feasible as is the case with semiconductors.
Meanwhile, Sumitomo Electric has continued R&D of
1G uncompromisingly. The greatest drawback of 1G
BSCCO from industrial productivity viewpoints (massproduction of long-length tape, enhanced yield, quality
assurance, etc.) was identified as the low-density of the
ceramic filaments which are easy to swell. As a result of
R&D of 1G, Sumitomo Electric successfully discovered
an innovative CT-OP sintering technique and developed
the 1G dynamically- (or drastically-) innovative BSCCO
(DI-BSCCO) tape (1), (2). The Company made a unique
approach, totally different from its competitors. Highperformance HTS materials need to be manufactured
into long-length tapes without any defects, and
Sumitomo Electric recognized that the best conditions
for “small lot trial production of short-length tapes” do
not necessarily lead to the best conditions for “mass-production of long-length tapes”. In conclusion, in the
development of HTS tapes, the best conditions should
be newly researched and developed based on the massproduction process for long-length tapes. Sumitomo
Electric is firmly convinced that test results gained from
small-lot, short-length tape production are basically not
consistent with the establishment of the process for
high-volume, long-length tape production and subsequent performance enhancement of tapes using this
process. Sumitomo Electric had built a large-scale CTOP sintering tank and pursued the best conditions for
mass-production of long-length tapes not as small-scale
R&D but as new and independent R&D.
Indispensable Conditions for Commercialization of HTS
<Crossing of “Valley of Death”>
➁ Sufficient Equipment Investment for HTS Commercial Production
Equipment Funds, Operational Funds, Capital Depreciation
& Recovery, Establishment & Improvement of Production
Technologies, Technical Personnel Training & Retention
1st-G (BSCCO)
2nd-G (RE123)
Raw
Material Bi, Sr, Ca, Cu, O YBCO, HoBCO (plus Additives)
Production Powder-in-tube
IBAD, ISD, PLD, MOD, Polishing
Process
method
Premature
(Best combination is
Maturity
Nearly mature
not yet known.)
)
Production
Process
Materials &
Composition
(
(What is the Best?)
(Private)
Investment to
Equipment meet determined
Investment
specifications
Difficult to invest because
best specifications are not
yet determined.
Fig. 4. Important Matters in Crossing “Valley of Death”
First
Generation
(BSCCO)
Second
Generation
(RE123)
Important Points
➀ Technical Maturity of HTS Tape
(Ic, Length, Quality Assurance, Mass-production, Lead Time, Cost, etc.)
Massproduction
of HTS Tape
(Supply)
Trial Manufacture
& Practical
Application of HTS
Products & System
(Development)
Feedback to
HTS Tape
(Performance
/Cost)
(Mass-production)
<Crossing of “Devil’s River”>
Expansion of
Applications
Replacement
& Expansion
of Applications
(1) Material Development Takes Long Time. Development of
Applied HTS Products Also Requires Long Periods.
(2) Merits & Demerits of HTS Tapes & Products Should be
Determined and Improved from at Early Stage.
(3) No Success of 2G without Success of 1G
Fig. 5. Success Story of HTS R&D
SEI TECHNICAL REVIEW · NUMBER 64 · APRIL 2007 · 51
Intellectual property rights (IPRs) should not be
forgotten in this age of pro-patent. Over the past few
years, Sumitomo Electric has analyzed the contents of
numerous IPRs related to 1G BSCCO inside and outside
of the Company. Relationships between the patents
owned by Sumitomo Electric and the IPRs of others
were clarified, and any necessary measures concerning
patents were taken. As a result, it has established conditions for actual commercialization of 1G BSCCO in
terms of IPRs. Meanwhile, the basic patents of 2G
RE123 (YBCO and HoBCO) are patented in the U.S.
The progress of R&D carried out in various countries
has led to the establishment of various patents on the
products, materials, manufacturing methods, etc. of 2G
RE123, which are all intricately intertwined on domestic
and international levels. Therefore if commercialization
is the aim, it is essential to carry out the investigation of
these IPRs very carefully from a very early stage of development to avoid IPR infringement.
HTS tape was born from the science of producing
new unprecedented materials. It is a truly advanced,
innovative technology. Naturally, it was preceded by
material research. It is customary for the development of
“seeds” to precede the development as to new materials.
However, since new materials without applications are
meaningless, the timing for starting R&D of practical
application (seed-out or product-out) is always a serious
issue, serving as a crucial point in determining commercialization. Because this is so crucial, Sumitomo Electric
is always exposed to the risks of becoming overly cautious
and postponing decision-making or watching and waiting for others to succeed instead of being a front runner.
The concept that HTS tapes are materials that had
never existed previously, and will have no value whatsoever if no good use is made of them, is very important to
the researchers and engineers of manufacturers aiming
at commercialization. Initially, there was a tendency to
think that if good quality HTS tapes (materials) can be
produced, their applications will spread by themselves
naturally. However, HTS has the fundamental drawback
that it only becomes superconductive when cooled
down to approximately -200˚C. It is therefore crucial to
be aware that assessments based on their applications
have important significance in determining whether
HTS is truly useful. Therefore, from an early stage of its
1G BSCCO HTS R&D, Sumitomo Electric launched
application research of readily available 1G BSCCO
tapes in HTS AC cables (Fig. 6). Fortunately, the mainstream products of Sumitomo Electric included from
conductive wires to the finished power cables. As of
today (2006), Sumitomo Electric is the only private company in the world succeeding in the integrated manufacturing from HTS tapes (DI-BSCCO tapes) to HTS cables
for commercial use (Albany Project (4)-(7) and KEPRI
Project (4), (8)) due to the following reasons:
(1) Sumitomo Electric has been a vertically integrated
manufacturer consistently supplying cable products
ranging from wires to power cables.
(2) The researchers and engineers of the HTS R&D
team were gathered from amongst those developing
wires and those developing cables. A member in
charge of wire application (cable development) was
appointed the leader of the team, which was a challenging decision.
Figure 7 shows an example of the feasibility study on
the application of HTS cables by the mixed development
team. Regarding the omission of the substation described
in this figure, detailed case studies were presented by U.S.
and South Korean users (electric utilities) (9). Figure 8
shows the merits of liquid nitrogen (LN2)-cooled HTS
cables, which are not found in other cables. The competitive edge of the HTS cable, if developed, is gradually
becoming clear. Table 3 compares economic viability.
With the quantitative merits becoming more apparent, all
members of the team were convinced about the marketability of the HTS cable.
From a power cable manufacturer perspective,
Sumitomo Electric understands that HTS BSCCO tapes
are an important component generating HTS phenomenon in HTS power cable, but it is merely one of the
86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05
Super-GM (I)
Tapes
BSCCO
(Old)
Long Tape Production
Technology
BSCCO
(New)
Super-GM (II)
(
Energy-saving Subsidies &
Performance Enhancement
DI-BSCCO (Performance Enhancement)
Next
Generation
(RE123)
Cable
Target
ISTEC
Basic
R&D
Cooperative R&D
(TEPCO, Sumitomo Electric, etc.)
Application
Basis (I)
Problems
Large Power Transmission
Cables with Low Loss for
Use in Urban Areas
➀ Cable Route
No More Space for (Right of Way)
Need for Larger Power Supply
due to Progress of IT
➂ Difficult to Achieve Large Power
Transmission while Saving Energy
Application
Basis (II)
66 kV/100 m/3-core Cable (TEPCO & Sumitomo Electric)
77 kV/500 m/1-core (NEDO & Furukawa)
[I] Replacement of Existing Cables
Power Generator (I)
SMES (II)
Single-crystal Pulling
Industrial
Apparatus
275/154/66kV
First
Substation
Power Generator, Transformer
& Current Reducer (II)
SMES (I)
(
Private Funds
[II] Omission of Substations
500kV
Duct
Power
Apparatus
➁ Substation
Pole
Transformer
6.6kV
100 or
200V
Second
& Third
Substations
SMES (III)
In-vehicle
Transformer
Performance
Enhancement
3 Circuits
in Existing
Cable Route
HTS Cable
2 Circuits
＋
Information
Cable Ducts
Vast Space & Lots of Apparatuses
Pole
Transformer
6.6kV
66kV
HTS Cable
100 or
200V
Substation
Ship-propulsion Motor
Fig. 6. History of HTS R&D in Japan
Fig. 7. Exemplars of Effective Applications of HTS Cables
52 · Toward Practical Application of High-Temperature Superconducting Technology - How to Proceed with Fundamental and Innovative Research and Development that Extends Over Ultra Long Period of Time -
tion” carried out on a state level, as described later).
Table 4 summarizes the importance of “concurrent
development”. “Product-out” and “market-in” were
simultaneously established by the mutual exchange of
requirements and views between the upstream materials
engineers and downstream applied technology engineers on equal footing, while mutually understanding
required properties of both sides in development
efforts. This enables the development to go with combining the strengths, while complementing the weaknesses, of new materials, technologies, and products. It
is possible to prevent serious drawbacks that would normally occur when upstream material development and
downstream applied development are carried out separately; namely, excess risk hedges imposed on the
Non-Explosive
Non-Flammable
HTS
Cable
Large Current
Carrying
Superconductiv
Liquid Nitrogen
Coolant
small elements making up the entire power cable line
system (Fig. 9) (10). This means that the HTS cable cannot be realized without focusing more efforts on the
development and verification of HTS cables than on the
development of HTS tapes. If HTS cables are not realized, it is without doubt that HTS tapes will not proliferate. In this context, Sumitomo Electric decided to take
up HTS wire R&D and HTS cable R&D as two equally
important themes indispensable to realizing HTS practical application, and to launch a “Concurrent” R&D project conducted jointly by the HTS wire and HTS cable
R&D teams. The “concurrent development endeavor”
eventually served as an important key to the Company’s
success (this can be called the corporate version of “vertically integrated development and practical applica-
AC
DC
Ultra Low
Loss
Conductor
EMI-Free No
Electromagnetic
Pollution
Insulation
PPLP
LN2
Cryostat
Metal Sheath
Heat Insulation Tape
Reinforcement Tape
Anti-corrosion Jacket
Vacuum Apparatus
Extinguishable
No Industrial
Waste
Advanced
Green
Green
21st
Century-Style
*Disaster
Prevention
*Green
*Ultra Long
Life
*Large Capacity
Transmission
*Energy Saving
*EMI-free
Pump
Valve
Pipe
Tank
Cooler
Power
Cable
No Thermal
Expansion or
Contraction (No
Degradation
Cable)
Termination
HTS tape is a component
of HTS product or system
Winding
Pitch & Layer
Joint
Protection Tape
Bending
Stress-cone
Epoxy-stopper
Lead
Others
Fig. 8. Merits of HTS Cable
BSCCO Tape
Ic
Mechanical Strength
AC Loss
Long-length Tape
Tape Joint
Splitter Box
Monitoring
Impedance
Matching
Joint
Maintenance
Fault Current
Limiter
Cable
Installation
Life
Examination
·····
Operation
High-pressure
Gas
·····
To Cope
with Accident
Waste
Treatment
Loss Reduction
(Economical Evaluation)
Needs to
Develop &
Verify Various
Related
Technologies
Concurrently
Fig. 9. HTS Cable and BSCCO Tape
Table 3. Environmental and Economic Comparisons Between HTS and Conventional Cable Systems
AC
Transmission Capacity
DC
Conventional Cable
HTS Cable
HTS Cable
1,500MVA (500MVA x 3cct)
ditto (375MVA x 2cct x 2Route)
ditto (1,500MVA x 1cct)
Transmission Voltage
275kVrms
66kVrms
130kV
Transmission Current
1kArms/phase
3.3kArms/phase
12kA/phase
Cable Type
Single-phase XLPE Cable
3-in-One HTS Cable
3-in-One HTS Cable
Cable Size
Approx. 140mm
Approx. 135mm
Approx. 135mm
Number of Cables
9
Transmission Loss
740kW/km
CO2 Emission*1
(CO2 Reduction)
778ton-C/km/year
(–)
Transmission Loss Cost*2
(Cost Reduction)
648,000/km/year
(–)
175,000$/km/year
(473,000$/km/year)
18,000$/km/year
(630,000$/km/year)
NPV of Loss
(30 years, Int. rate 5%)
(–)
+7.28M$/km
(473x15.4)
+9.7M$/km
(630x15.4)
50$/t-C
(–)
+0.852M$/km
(50 × 568 × 30)
+1.136M$/km
(50 × 757 × 30)
100$/t-C
(–)
+1.7M$/km
(100 × 568 × 30)
+2.27M$/km
(100 × 757 × 30)
Emissions
Trading
(30 years)
1/2
4
1/4
200kW/km
1/4
210ton-C/km/year
(568ton-C/km/year)
1
20kW/km
1/10
21ton-C/km/year
(757ton-C/km/year)
*1 Calculated at carbon conversion rate of 0.12kg-C/kWh
*2 Calculated at per kWh generation cost of 10cents
SEI TECHNICAL REVIEW · NUMBER 64 · APRIL 2007 · 53
Table 4. Importance of Concurrent Development
Conventional
R&D in
“series”
(Steady)
➀ Existence of researchers
who only do material
development
➁ Seeds-out or product-out
➂ Material researchers
never engage in market
development activities
➃ Material research is
categorized as either
scientific or basic
research, and therefore
is principally supported
by public funds
➄ Patents come mainly
from materials
Concept:
Good R&D
results can
create market
demands
Researchers only
announce
forecasts of good
R&D results
Engineers in
application fields
are left waiting
Negligence of
application
development
➀ Application development in ➀ Material becomes
parallel with material
useful only when its
research
application is
developed
➁ Material researchers and
application engineers work ➁ Development of
as a group
innovative material
requires
➂ Material characteristics
development of its
Application requirements
usage (application)
Product-out and market-in ➂ Development of
at the same time
“usable material”
➃ No negligence of
➃
Application
should
Concurrent
engineering
be so developed
R&D
that developed
(Speed-oriented) ➄ Full knowledge in material
characteristics
material can
exploit its
➅ Research on customer’s
uniqueness
needs and reflecting
customer’s needs on
➄ Early acquisition of
material and application
customers
R&D
Fostering of market
for mass-produced
➆ Emphasis on application
new product
patents
➅ Execution of
➇ Constant concern about
necessary
mass-production, even at
equipment
the stage of material
investment
development
Delay in
practical
application
ever; the focus is placed on how rapidly research topics
can be transferred from national or public institutes to
businesses (manufacturers) that deal with practical application. It will also become increasingly important to
make maximum efforts to share the same views on “concurrent R&D” through personnel interchanges between
the two sides, and build an environment for researchers
and development engineers to talk about their ideas
based on joint experience and common values.
Table 5. Comparison of R&D Between Private Manufacturer’s and
National or Public Research Institutes
Private Maker’s Laboratory
Market
development
for new product
using innovative
material is
difficult without
acceptance and
application by
customers
Simultaneous
developments
of material and
its application
are indispensable
Especially for
massproduction
Early
practical
application
upstream side by the downstream side, and the subsequent marked delay in materials development. As a
result, this promotes a common understanding on the
direction and effects of R&D and increases the awareness of sharing a common destiny among R&D engineers. This also enhances engineers’ sense of mission
and accelerates development speed. It requires a major
decision to determine the best timing for starting “the
concurrent development of materials and applications”
(not application development carried out just for trial
purpose, but an all-or-nothing application development). Key factors for making such decision include “indepth understanding of R&D significance,” “ambition,”
“corporate culture,” “enterprising spirit of the business,”
and more significantly, "willpower to challenge cuttingedge technologies in the world at any cost and win.”
Table 5 compares R&D characteristics between
national or public research institutes and private companies (manufacturers), other than concurrent R&D.
Evidently, there exist drawbacks and advantages on both
sides, which should lead to the categorization to which
each R&D theme should belong. Today, fast development and practical application is emphasized more, how-
R on R
National or Public
Research Institute
Emphasis on actual
achievements, from
company’s experience and
priority
Focus on originality
and phenomenalistic
theory
*Easy cooperation with other inhouse and outside laboratories
*Closed and detached
from material development
*Not easy cooperation
Integration to application into systems
with other organizations
*Cooperation with production
and sales
(
)
*Unstable (always severe concern)
Sponsorship First priority to pursuance of *Limited and fixed
*Little freedom in using
commercialization or profit
& R&D
*Large degree of freedom in R&D funds
Fund
using R&D funds
Influence of
Economic
Recession
Serious
Not so serious
*Researchers have responsibility
*Efforts are focused on
until new product is commercialized
attaining predetermined
and
becomes
profitable
Intention of
target
→Business-oriented
Practical
Application *Various R&D can be promoted *Material R&D is easy,
but R&D for product
concurrently, from material to
or system is not easy
product or system
Shift in
Policy
/Alliance
(
Fairly free
Long-term, basic R&D
is difficult to conduct
)
*Slogan: A hundred yen for
success, zero yen for failure
Obligation
*Clear judgment of success
or failure
(
Difficult
Long-term, basic R&D
on the same theme is
easy to conduct
)
?
4. Reasons for Participating in the U.S. Albany
Project
After the Second World War, Japan has continued
to grow in a direction headed by the U.S. Thus, by looking at the U.S. from the perspective of HTS technology
development competition, a very clear-cut image of
Japan’s ideal future can be mapped out.
During several years after the Second World War,
the U.S. which won the war, established its infrastructure rapidly (Fig. 10). In the electric energy industry,
such efforts peaked in the first half of the 70’s.
Afterward, having rapidly switched from “power technol-
54 · Toward Practical Application of High-Temperature Superconducting Technology - How to Proceed with Fundamental and Innovative Research and Development that Extends Over Ultra Long Period of Time -
ogy (PT)” to “information technology (IT)” in the 80’s,
the power industry, which had been supported by heavy
industries, started to rapidly crumble. Chasing the U.S.
with a delay of 10 to 15 years, Japan had completed
building its infrastructure by about 1995, and had also,
likewise, switched from PT to IT.
However, no matter how sturdy the facilities and system built were, they all have their own technical life,
requiring maintenance, renewal, and reinforcement.
Figure 11 shows the estimated timing for building and
renewing/reinforcing power infrastructures in Japan,
the U.S., South Korea, and China in the 100 years of the
21st century. It can be seen that this timing comes in
some 30-year cycle. The U.S. has just entered this period
of renewal and reinforcement, and on August 8, 2005,
the Energy Policy Act of 2005 dealing with these issues
was signed into law. As illustrated in Fig. 11, 30 years
after rapidly switching from PT to IT, there is now a
need to transition from PT through IT to Neo-PT. In the
U.S., however, almost no heavy industries to support its
power industry have survived. The U.S. has clarified its
will to maintain “America as No. 1” by the help of
advanced energy-related technologies in the next several
decades under the Energy Policy Act. To this end, they
are promoting the development and practical application of innovative HTS technology ferociously. As part of
these endeavors, there are three ongoing HTS cable projects supported by the Department of Energy (DOE) in
the U.S. Due to the absence of heavy industries, however,
they have no choice but to depend on offshore manufacturers for substantial aspects ranging from the manufacturing to installation of HTS cables (Fig. 12).
IGC/SP
(U.S.)
Albany
Project
(U.S.)
(U.S.)
KEPRI
Project
(ROK)
SEI
(ROK)
(JPN)
(PRC)
Investment in
Transmission Apparatus
($ in 1992)
3
30
2
20
1
10
0
0
1940 1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
Source: Cambridge Energy Research Associates
Investment in
Power Transmission
≒100B Yen/year
Large-scale
Reinforcement
PT
Liberalization
Japan
USA
Electricity Infrastructure
Fig. 10. Investment in Generators and Transmission Cables in USA
(2000)
(until 2010)
Halt of Equipment
Investment
Neo-PT
(USA)
(USA)
IT
Renewal
Renewal
New
Technologies
“Energy Act”
Technology
(Enacted on August 8, 2005)
PT
IT
Nano
Bio
* DC Transmission
* HTS Cable
* Submarine Cable
(Large Capacity/Low Loss
/High Reliability)
Energy, Resources & Environment
3R＋4S (Safety & Security)
Life of Power Cable: 30 to 50 years
Generation
Capacity
Increase Ratio
of Electrical
Demand
(% per year)
Japan
USA
Republic
of Korea
260GW
860GW
0.7%
2.0%
50GW
4.0%
China
320GW
Super-long-life Products due
to Renewal & Extension
Life & Renewal
Demand
1975
2000
2025
2050
2075
2100
(Puji Sub-station)
(Completed)
Changtong Cable Project
(Chinese Academy of Science)
5
4
Newly
Constructed
Generation
Capacity
Up to 6T Yen?
Yunnan Power Project
6.0%
* Investigated in 2003
Fig. 11. Trend of Electricity Market & Technology
NEXANS
(France)
(Italy)
(Withdrawal)
Withdrawal
from HTSCable
Business
100% Subsidiary
NKT
(Denmark)
NST
Furukawa
CEPCO
NEDO Project
Pirelli
(from 2005)
(Completed)
(U.S.)
(JPN)
HTS
6
Investment in Power
Transmission
(B$)
Power Generation Capacity of
Newly Constructed Generators
(GW)
Power Generation
Capacity of Newly
Constructed Generators
≒60 GW
80
40
LIPA
Project
(Completed)
· In USA, investment in transmission grid
stayed at a low level.
· Generation capacity stayed at a high level.
50
(Mexico)
Acquisition(2002/10)
TEPCO
Project
Inno ST
60
Condumex
ULTERA
Cable JV
Dec. 2002
AMSC Stop Production
of 1G in 2005
(2003/7) (U.S.)
(JPN)
LS Cable
Southwire
(U.S.)
(Spin-off of Cable Business)
Ohio
Project
(DAPAS 100B Won)
70
(Specialized in 2G Wires)
Cable Maker
Wire Maker
Project
Fig. 12. Relationship Diagram of HTS Wire & Cable Productions
As Japan had followed in the footsteps of the U.S.
from PT to IT, Japan is also experiencing the same
decline in electric utility industries as the U.S.
Fortunately, Japan still retains the best human resources,
facilities, and technologies in the world in this area.
Energy, resource, and the environment are indispensable to the human community regardless of the era as
mentioned earlier. The current century particularly recognizes this. With the whole world entering a period of
maintenance, renewal, and the reinforcement of power
infrastructures in around 2010, Japan should avoid the
same mistakes as made by the U.S. Specifically, Japan
should clearly understand the meaning of the basic “PT
and IT” policy and the relationship between the two as
expressed by the word “and”, and firmly maintain the
heavy industries requiring the power infrastructure (Fig.
13) (3), (11). For Japan to survive as an advanced nation
given its limited natural resources, it needs to understand the true current situation and relationships
between Japan and the U.S. Instead of following in the
footsteps of the U.S., it also needs to build a new interdependent relationship between the two countries where
Japan supplements the U.S. (11)(13).
Figure 14 summarizes why the U.S. will start needing HTS cable, which is expected to eventually arise in
the same way in Japan and advanced OECD European
countries. The same situation should also eventually
arise in BRICs countries, mainly in cities with a population of one million or more. It has never been as important as now for Japan to take the lead and clarify the
SEI TECHNICAL REVIEW · NUMBER 64 · APRIL 2007 · 55
concepts of HTS cable grid, accumulate the necessary
experience through demonstration tests of HTS cables
on actual grids, as well as to steadily retain technical personnel and firmly preserve and pass down technologies
and facilities of this industry, under clear-cut objectives
and policies.
Infrastructure industries for energy (especially electric
power) are eternally necessary.
They become indispensable among developing
countries (like ASEAN) during the 21st century.
Present Technological Level
Technological levels of Japanese heavy industry and
power cable Industry are highest in the world.
Japan
From PT
to IT
Power
Technology
Information
Technology
IT only?
Toward
“PT&IT”
Must focus on technical R&D
from a long-term view. (Emphasis
on “sustainability” rather than
“growth rate or profit rate”)
USA
Japan
EMI-free Cable (No Magnetic Field Leakage)
HTS Cable is Only One Solution
※Replacement of Life-exhausted
Power Cables
※Expansion of Capacity (for Increase
of Power Demand)
Lower Loss
Using High Voltage is Difficult
From 345 kV/230 kV/132 kV to
66 kV
New Lines with Lower Voltage
& Higher Capacity
Green
Pollution
EMC (I)
Public Opinion
Construction of New
Power Lines is Difficult
(Less Right of Way)
Existing Lines
Fig. 13. Another Forecast of Future at Which Japan’s R&D Should Aim
(1) Power companies are
reluctant to do R&D on HTS
cables
(2) Drastic decrease in
equipment investment by
power companies
(3) No governmental support for
vertically integrated R& D on
practical use of HTS cables
(4) Sumitomo Electric’s strategy
to let its HTS cable
technology survive
(5) Sumitomo Electric’s strategy
to accelerate
commercialization of HTS
tapes
(6) Sense of mission to develop
innovative infrastructurebased material
No HTS R&D by
power companies
USA
From IT
to PT
Maintaining its
position as a
technologyoriented worldleader in
engineering
No governmental
supports
Future Present
Future Prospect of Japan
Education &
human
resources
development
(International
exchange)
Private company makes
self-supporting efforts
Capability
Market
Future Prospect
This was the first time a joint Japan-U.S. consortium
carried out development and demonstration tests in the
U.S. under the budget support of the U.S. DOE. While
participating in a U.S. national project, Sumitomo
Electric found apparent differences between the national projects of the two countries. Table 6 summarizes
these differences. Strongly characteristic of U.S. projects
is that projects are conducted in a vertically integrated
way (each of the material production, cable manufacturing, cable system installation, cable cooling and system
operation phases is allotted to a single company), and
that the development projects are managed according
to the “in a good will” rule (tolerance to failure). Under
this rule, even if the development ends in failure, paths
to acquire financial support from the government to
implement countermeasures will remain open, as long
as due efforts are made to fulfill specified commitments.
If participants decided to withdraw from the project, the
decision is accepted and no penalties are imposed as the
development theme is taken to have been challenging.
National projects in Japan should learn from the U.S.
ones in many ways to accomplish true success.
(1) Large demand for HTS cable
Electricity demand growth/Obsolete
apparatus/Blackouts
(2) No HTS cable manufacturer exists
in USA
Participation in HTS cable
demonstration test
(3) Use of SPI funds according to DOE
policy
[1] Mass-production of DI-BSCCO
HTS tapes using “CT-OP”
sintering method
and
[2] Participation in Albany Project
Almost Final Chance to
Commercialize HTS Technology
Fig. 15. Reason Why Sumitomo Electric Participates in HTS Cable
Project in USA
Table 6. Comparison of National R&D Project between Japan and USA
Fig. 14. Reason Why HTS Cables Need to be Used in US
Japan
USA
Supported by defense funds*
(M$)
Figure 15 compares the situation in Japan and the
U.S. to explain why Sumitomo Electric decided to participate in the U.S. HTS cable project. Installing the
whole HTS AC cable system, starting from production of
HTS wires, in a real commercial grid in North America
for the first time required considerable hard work and
firm determination. Sumitomo Electric joined the project with the belief that performing a demonstration test
where the potential market actually exists is the closest
path to obtain actual demand. In July 2006, two years
later, the HTS AC cable started operating in the commercial line for the first time in the world (4)-(7).
Fund
Public funds
2004
2005
Project
Horizontally integrated
participants (So called: form of convoy)
DOE
≒30
≒35
DOD
40 or Over
Increased
Vertically integrated
In-grid demonstration test **
Demonstration
Special demonstration test
& verification
(Definitely the best way to test practical application)
Evaluation Should be successful
on R&D
completion of
project
almost all projects
Development-orientated
Failure is allowed according
to the “in-a-good-will” rule
DOE: Department of Energy
DOD: Department of Defense
* Usually applied only to US domestic makers
** Pre-qualification test
56 · Toward Practical Application of High-Temperature Superconducting Technology - How to Proceed with Fundamental and Innovative Research and Development that Extends Over Ultra Long Period of Time -
5. Requirements for Developing and Diffusing
HTS Technology
With the enforcement of the Kyoto Protocol, an
epoch-making breakthrough in the history of
humankind, on February 16, 2005, the visions of the
21st century as the century of energy, resources, and the
environment are becoming clearer and clearer (11).
Along with this, various related laws and regulations are
being enacted, and the development and commercialization of relevant technologies promoted. Also being
built are new eco-oriented business models focusing on
the CO2 emission-quota-trading (11)-(13).
The authors discussed Japan’s CO2 reduction target (-6%) achievement plans and the voluntary CO2
reduction plans (20% reduction in specific CO2 emissions (g-C/kWh)) of the electric utility industry, which
are responsible for 1/3 of all CO2 emissions, in compliance with the binding Kyoto Protocol (11)-(13). Moreover,
most electric utility plans depend on nuclear power generation and put too much stress on more efficient
power generation including thermal plants. Figure 16
shows the improvement of efficiency in power generation and transmission (or transmission loss reduction).
The efficiency of power generation already exceeds
50%. In fact, the development and practical application
of high efficiency power generation technologies, top
class in the world, have been accomplished in Japan. On
the other hand, power transmission loss is about 5% of
the produced electric energy, which seems to reach the
critical limit. In fact, no CO2 reduction guideline based
on the application of new power transmission technologies is included in the industry’s voluntary CO2 reduction plans described above. The HTS AC/DC cable will,
among its merits, reduce CO2 emissions (this will also
inevitably save fuel consumption by electric plants), and
resultantly the beneficiary effects will be enormous as
shown in both Fig. 16 and Table 3. It is understandable
to a certain extent that power companies have the business policies of putting priority on the reliability of the
power infrastructure and thus tend to favor technologies that are already used in the industry, as well as their
(%)
Power Generation Efficiency
& Transmission Loss in Japan
51% In Case of Combined-
*
cycle Power Generation
45
●
40
● ● ● ● ● ● ● 41.1
35
●
30
25
●
● ●
Power Generation Efficiency Rate
●
Transmission Loss Rate
20
● ●
15
●
10
●
● ● ● ● ● ●
5
●
0
4.9
4.9
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Technical
Innovation!
HTS Cable
Japan’s Total Electricity Supply: 1 Trillion kWh/Year
Transmission Loss Reduction of 0.1%
Reduction in Carbon Emissions by 120 Thousand Tons Per Year
(Saving of 10 Billion Yen)
HTS Cable Is Indispensable!
Fig. 16. Influence of Electric Utility Industry on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
efforts to improve financial performance by suppressing
investments in new facilities. However, Japanese utilities
who actually have a regional monopoly should reflect
on the significance of the Kyoto Protocol and introduce
various advanced new technologies in accordance with
Japan’s energy conservation scheme called ” Top
Runner Program”, for the sake of advancing the national and humanistic causes. These efforts are so seen as
justifiable for the future of humankind that sophisticated business decisions need to be made to make frontier
efforts of making an initial investment in the application
of new technologies. The world-leading advanced environment and energy technologies devised in Japan will
eventually serve as a solid foundation that strongly supports this country to establish an initiative in environment and energy fields in North-East Asia. Therefore,
the HTS development policy of Japan should not be limited merely to financial support for national projects on
HTS material development, but energy- and environment-related laws and regulations should be revised or
enacted to provide utilities with incentives to adopt new
HTS technologies and products, including HTS cables,
based on their voluntary decisions. The early execution
of such initiatives is highly expected.
One such effort is implementation of the “cap and
trade” market system, which is based on the CO2 emission-quota-trading introduced by the Kyoto Mechanism
(13)
. Early initiatives to enhance the emission trading markets at home and abroad should be taken. Furthermore,
measures and policies should be taken to proactively
allow the discounted present values (DPV) of long-term
probable benefits to be used in the cases where initial
investments are massive but the long-term reduction of
CO2 emissions can be expected, as is the case for power
infrastructure, so as to make the best use of the benefits
of the Kyoto Mechanism. (Method to calculate DPV and
examples of its use in the “Kyoto Mechanism” are
described precisely in the reference (13).)
Japan is the only Annex 1 country in Asia to assume
the responsibility for CO2 reduction as prescribed in the
Kyoto Protocol. If an average reduction of 6%, compared to 1990, over five years from 2008 to 2012 is not
attained, it will be necessary to purchase emission credits worth massive amounts (50 billion to 1 trillion yen)
from Russia, the only Annex 1 economy that has met its
target and has extra emission-right for sale, via emissionquota trading (ET), as shown in Fig. 17. This approach,
however, is not a solution that contributes to CO2 reduction or Japan’s technological and economical growth. It
is merely something like a transnational environment
tax. It is therefore important to have a good understanding on the system of ET and avoid introduction of it.
Therefore, it is essential for the Japanese Government
to implement effective and promising CO2 reduction
measures and policies that incorporate promotion of
advanced HTS technologies. Significantly, an array of
such actions should clarify the philosophy of both public and private sectors to support these environment and
energy related new technologies from a national perspective (11).
Numerous new energy-saving technologies and
SEI TECHNICAL REVIEW · NUMBER 64 · APRIL 2007 · 57
Kyoto Protocol in consideration of the impact it would
have on the current economy. Perhaps, high energy
price policies (including environment tax) should
inevitably be adopted in one way or another.
In order to make energy saving profitable, it is
important to build a situation where businesses fairly
conduct long-term energy-saving technology development and people comfortably support this development
Short-term
Activities
Table 7. Sustainable Environment Preservation : Introduction of “Bonus
& Penalty” Method
① Based on Psychological & Ethical Motivations of Individuals
② Irrelevant to Economic Efficiency
③ Local (Limited to Special Areas)
④ Lack in Understanding of Significance of Sustainable
Environmental Activities (Focus is on the Present)
Sustainable Long-Term
Activities
products are being marketed one after the other. They
are actually the fruit of development and research on
energy-saving technology that the private sector began
voluntarily during the oil shocks of the 1970s when
energy prices were high. Massive funds and human
resources were invested, based on speculations that new
energy-saving and alternative energy technologies will
pay for themselves. As shown in Fig. 18, there is a need
to carefully review whether such energy-saving technology development would be more efficient if conducted in
the form of R&D based on deliberate support through
public funds based on the nation’s tax under the condition of low energy prices (which means people are not
prompted to save energy), or if by leaving it to voluntary
technological development based on the economic decisions of businesses and research institutes under the
condition of high energy prices (consequently, people
are motivated to save energy). This question should be
answered from a standpoint that importance is intentionally placed on the future instead of now, and that all
energy-saving and environment engineers and technologies in various industries are maintained. This is evidently different from the U.S. decision to withdraw from the
① Clear Definition of “Bonus” & “Penalty” Method
② Relevant to Economic Efficiency
(Necessity to Implement High Energy Price Policy)
→ Voluntary Use of Alternative Energy & Voluntary Start
of Independent R&D
③ Globally Common
④ Understanding of Significance of sustainable Environmental
Activities (Focus is on the Future)
Decrease in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(COP3 : Kyoto Protocol Agreed in 1997)
Kyoto Protocol: Enacted on February 16, 2005 (COP3)
➀ Japan should reduce 6% of CO2 during 2008-2012
Europe
&
(USA)
➁ ET CO2 Emission-Quota-Trade
JI
Japan
Japan
<Buyer>
Russia
(500M$-10B$/Yr)
Russia
<Seller>
➂ Joint Implementation
NIES
CDM
Table 8. Policy of High Energy Price as Environmental Measure
CO2 Emission
Rights Trading
➃ Clean Development Mechanism
Environmental
Investment
➄ Japanese Government actively supports
Developing
Countries
& subsidizes “Environmentally Friendly” Investment!
Favorable Wind to HTS Technologies
Fig. 17. Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Mechanism
Low Price
(15 yen/kWh)
High Price
(50 yen/kWh)
Effect on Decreasing
Electricity Consumption
Not Effective
Effective
Effect on Energy Saving
Small Effect
Large Effect
Attractiveness of
Energy-Saving-Products
Low
High
Enthusiasm for Introducing
Energy-efficient Technology
into Utility Infrastructures
Low
High
Motivation to Conduct
R&D on Energy-SavingTechnology
Low
High
Public Funds
Own Funds
/A Limited Number /A Large Number
of Researchers
of Researchers
R&D
➂
Basic Policies
COP → ※ Energy Conservation
※ New Energy (Renewable Energy)
※ Self-support
※ Sustainability
※ Life-Style Improvement
➀
High Energy
Price Policy
Judgmental
Standard With
Regard to Energyrelated Issues
Energy Price
Oil
Coal
Natural Gas
※ Introduction of Green Tax
※ Price-Rise Proportional to
Energy Consumption
※ Increase in Gasoline Tax,
Automobile Tax, etc.
※ Introduction of IT (Information
Technology) Tax
※ Exhaustion of Fossil Fuels
→ Rise of Energy Cost
Electricity
Prices
Gas
National Tax
Decline in
R&D Motivation
NEDO
Less Profitability
in New Energy
Support
(Fund)
Decline in
Energy-saving
Motivation
➁
Low Energy Price Policy
※ Low Price at Night
※ Discount for Large-scale
Consumers
➀➁➂
Opposes to
Capitalism,
Self-support,
&
Sustainability
Liberalization (Electricity & Gas)
Globalization & Intensified Competition
High Price Policy <
> Low Price + Tax
(Which is Preferable?)
Fig. 18. How to Do R&D on Energy-oriented Theme to Solve Environmental
Issues
Basic (Material)
R&D
Public Funds
/University R&D
Independent &
Competitive R&D
Electricity price is set low until monthly per
capita electricity consumption reaches 500 kWh.
Cap
Surplus electricity consumption quota can be
Some Amount of
bought and sold (at a high price).
Electricity Allowed
to be Consumed
* Protection of the economically vulnerable
group (Social welfare)
&
Trade
* Profit for saving consumption (Bonus)
Buying and Selling
Penalty for overconsumption (Penalty)
of Surplus Electricity
Increase of willingness to save electricity
As “Consumption
Long-term environmental preservation
Quota”
Promotion of motivation to develop energy
saving technology
Sustainability
58 · Toward Practical Application of High-Temperature Superconducting Technology - How to Proceed with Fundamental and Innovative Research and Development that Extends Over Ultra Long Period of Time -
and actively utilize the gained results. To this aim, there
is a need to implement a “bonus and penalty” system
that takes into consideration economic viability to ensure
long-term effectiveness, instead of (short-term) policies
that prompt interested parties to save energy just out of
the ethical and psychological sense of obligation (Table
7). Furthermore, the government should come up with
initiatives that allow the individuals and companies who
proactively implemented energy-saving equipment and
activities to receive appropriate profits according to the
degree of their efforts. For instance, if a certain amount
of inexpensive electric power is allotted to each party,
but use exceeds the amount assigned, the party should
be imposed with penalties in the form of having to purchase emission rights or pay high energy bills, which is
equivalent to the emission right (Table 8). On the other
hand, those who have been able to save electric power
should be allowed to sell such an amount as the emission right (Bonus) (14). The “cap and trade” system will
ensure that individuals, businesses, and institutes continue their energy saving efforts, leading to permanent
enthusiasm to the consistent development and use of
low-loss, energy-saving technologies like HTS. Also
expected is that this would naturally initiate effects to
expand and deepen the horizons of the group of energy
and environment engineers who support these endeavors, including the increase in the next generation engineers. Also cannot be overlooked is this system’s compassion for economically vulnerable groups.
As mentioned earlier, should the applications of
HTS technology become rivals of existing technology,
there may develop various restrictions and resistances.
Figure 19 summarizes the general types of resistance
towards new technologies generated in existing markets.
From a long-term perspective, in order to eliminate
these restrictions and resistances and promote the use
of new technologies like HTS, support from public
funds is ideal. Table 9 compares the situations at the
time of introduction of the PPLP cable, which outrivaled existing technologies and became popular, and
HTS cable, which is gradually becoming popular. The
greatest factor that decides whether a new technology
becomes popular or not would be the result of comparison between initial capital investment for adopting a
new product (HTS cable) that does not provide benefit
from volume efficiency yet and capital investment for
adopting (or replacing with) an existing mass-produced
product. The greatest obstacle in the way is that most
engineers in charge of existing technologies and products at companies with considerable shares in industry
become strong advocates of existing technologies.
Rather than attempting to improve drawbacks of the
new technologies or nurture new technologies, they
only criticize the drawbacks from a specialist standpoint.
In this sense, the greatest rivals in the competition
between new technologies and existing technologies are
engineers. Although this may sound unfair to the developers of new technologies, it is a fact and must be
resolved in a cautious manner. (For HTS, engineers of
copper conductors as well as those of low-temperature
superconducting technology (LTS) can pose obstacle.)
When replacing massive infrastructure facilities with
new technologies and products, there is a need to carry
out verifications of performance and long-term reliability using actual equipment as well as to implement the
necessary enhancements until new technologies and
products are capable for general use (Fig. 20). After
overcoming the short-term problems, there will then be
Table 9. Bottleneck and Breakthroughs in Adoption of New Product
into Existing Market
Merit
[A] New products for accomplishing the impossible
To launch without facing constraints (in the fields
including medical, military and MRI/NMR)
[B] Replacement of existing products or systems with new
ones (High performance but high initial investment)
Assertions made
by members in existing market
(1) Many businesses are involved
in existing market They want to
defend both vested interests
and acquired market shares
Merits of widespread use of
innovative technology cannot
be understood easily
General idea is agreed
on, but details are
compromised
Mentality of victim
(2) Engineers and related personnel
adhere to current technologies
(3) In most cases, users want
low initial cost
(4) Reliability assurance based on
long-term past product
performance is strongly required
(5) Even if modification is partial,
total revalidation-test must be
conducted
➀ Manufacturers must show
enterprising spirit and
practically apply new
technology without being
discouraged by demand for
initial cost reduction
<Support from public funds>
➁ At first, should limit
applications to sure and
concrete cases, so that
full and complete success is
achieved
Fig. 19. Constraints Placed on Launch of New Products from Existing
Market (1)
PPLP Insulated OF Cable
HTS Cable
Low-Loss
& High Breakdown Strength
Ultra Low-Loss
& Large Power Carrying Capacity
Competing
Kraft Paper Insulated OF
Rival
Cable
Product
Bottleneck
Higher Insulation Cost
(Increase in Initial
Investment)
Copper Conductor Cable
Higher Cable Cost
(Increase in Initial
Investment)
➀ Demonstration Test
→ (Performance
Verification)
➀ Trial Adoption
→ Practical Results
➁ Comparison of Merits
(Reliability)
Study on Application
of “Kyoto Mechanism”
➁ Detailed Comparison
of Merits between New → To Promote Adoption
in USA
and Existing Cables
Breakthrough → Adoption outside
➂ Improvements of
Japan
Critical Current (Ic)
and Other Figures of
➂ Cost-Reduction by
Merit
Mass-production
➃ Cost-Reduction by
➃ Support from Utility
Mass-production
Company’s R&D Funds
➄ Introduction of Public
Funds
Status Quo
Dominant in OF Cable at
Home and Abroad
First Trial Adoption by
Enterprising Utility Power
Company is Under Study
SEI TECHNICAL REVIEW · NUMBER 64 · APRIL 2007 · 59
Necessary R&D Cost / Capital Investment
/ Improvement Cost
Study, Publicizing and Enhancement of Merits
of HTS-applied Systems
※ Reexamination
of Technology
※ Economical
Situation
※ Power Company’s
PolicyPower Comolicy
※ Nation’s Policy
Investment
in HTS
Wire
Production
Facilities
Private Sector
Business Activities
➂ For Completion of HTS-applied System & Its Verification
Who Should
Bear Cost?
Toward Introduction of “US-style Vertically Integrated Support
by Public Funds” (Emphasis on Application of Technology)
a need to make managing or commercial decisions to
realize the use of the new technologies and products.
Unless this goes smoothly, it will be difficult for HTS
wire manufacturers to implement the massive capital
investments in mass production and cost reductions.
Again, the ideal solution for this would be the U.S.-style
vertically integrated support by public funds which
focuses on application of technology. Taking 1G
BSCCO (Bi2223) as an example, Fig. 21 explains that
the government tends to provide support until the stage
to verify that the components are scientifically valid (this
support consisted of not only funds but also support
through legal and commercial systems), but no support
beyond that point, leaving private companies to handle
the tasks of commercialization, application and wide
adoption thereafter. Therefore, it is essential to have
multiple HTS players join the user side to shift the cen-
Decision
Commercialize
or Not?
Technology
Needs
Investment
Profitability
➃ (For Wide Adoption)
Merits for LongReliability
Actual Achievement in Practical Use and
&
time Use
Verification
are Necessary to Convince Users
<What Merits Does 2G HTS Hold Over 1G HTS?>
➄ It is Important Not to Focus Solely on Development and
Publicizing of 2G HTS Wire and Not to Misguide “HTS
Technological R&D & HTS Commercializing Efforts”
ter of gravity away from the favor of engineers trying to
protect existing technologies and products, so that new
products like HTS can be put to other applications and
diffused for the first time in the world (Fig. 21). In this
sense, public support in terms of policies and funds is
strongly required.
On the other hand, if HTS development succeeds
in making the impossible possible and spreads in use, its
applications should bring about advantages that work
like sovereign remedies (Table 1). The following sections list examples of HTS applications.
(1) All electric power generators in the electricity industry
produce massive current (above 10,000 amperes) at
low voltage (below several ten thousand volts).
Consequently, the primary side of the voltage step-up
transformer, namely, power cable connecting the generator and transformer (metal bus) incurs loss that is
proportionate to the square of current, and requires a
forced cooling system to hold down heat generation.
This is one area which can be completely substituted
by HTS cables for low-voltage, high-current electric
energy, and should probably be one of the quickest
applications of HTS due to the cable’s genuine ability
to contribute greatly to the reduction of CO2 emissions in addition to the cable’s compactness.
(2) Its compact and lightweight, loss-free, low-voltage,
high-capacity features allow HTS cables to be ideal
for power supply in vertical structures or shafts
going up several hundred meters (e.g. skyscrapers
and pumped-storage power plant drawer).
(3) Another application area where HTS becomes
exclusive may be the super eco-ship’s propulsion
motor used in contra-rotating propeller systems
(Fig. 22), due to its compact size and lightweight,
ability to provide large output power stably over a
Fig. 20. Constraints Placed on Launch of New Products from Existing
Market (2)
R&D
1986
Supported by Nation
<Present>
Application
Phenomenon Performance Product System
Universities Public Research Organizations
○
○
HTS Super Eco-Ship
(Illustration)
･Low Loss (15% to 30% Reduction)
･Liquid Nitrogen Cooling (Low Cost &
Easy to Handle)
･Compact & Lightweight (Volume:
Reduced to 1/10; Weight: Reduced to
1/5)
･Silent & Almost No Magnetic Flux
Leakage
<Upstream Raw Material Suppliers>
Bi, Sr
Bi-2223
Cable
Liquid Nitrogen Cooled HTS Motor
600ø x 0.6 m
Nominal Power:
12.5 kW (Overload: 62.5 kW) x 100 RPM
(Temp. of LiN2: 66 K)
Ca, Cu
Bi-2212 Bi-2223
Cable
<
HTS Tape
Manufacturers
<
>
Heavy
Products
Medical
Electric
Machinery Apparatus Manufactures
>
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
<
System
Installation Engineering Maintenance Constructors
Users
Support by Nation is Requested
<From Now on>
Builders/ Automobile Semiconductor
Power Ship
Shipping
Utilities
Industries
Industries
Agents
>
Train
Mining Industries Hospitals
Public
Companies
(Separation)
Organizations
Fig. 21. Many Players are Required in Promoting Wider Use of HTS
Pod Propulsion System Containing
HTS Motor
800ø x 2 m
Dia. of Propeller: 1 m
Fig. 22. Development of Liquid Nitrogen Cooled HTS Motor (for Actual
Use, Mainly in Vessels) (Development Consortium Members:
Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Sumitomo Electric, Taiyo
Nippon Sanso, Nakashima Propeller, Niigata Power Systems,
Hitachi, University of Fukui and Fuji Electric Systems)
60 · Toward Practical Application of High-Temperature Superconducting Technology - How to Proceed with Fundamental and Innovative Research and Development that Extends Over Ultra Long Period of Time -
wide speed range from low to high speeds hence
requiring no transmission, and eco-friendly features
such as energy saving and low CO2 emissions. The
HTS propulsion motor is expected to provide fuel
reduction of 20% to 30%, and the HTS propulsion
system for ships and vessels has already been proposed for use in all ocean vessels by the environment protocol which will follow the COP3 Kyoto
Protocol, effective after 2012. Most vessels in the
21st century may adopt this system. On December
10 of 1997, the year in which the Kyoto Protocol
was agreed, Toyota Motor Corporation released
Prius, an epoch-making hybrid electric vehicle
(HEV), for the first time in Japan, igniting the
trend towards motor-driven engines (Fig. 23). On
February 16 of 2005, the year when the Kyoto
Protocol was enforced, the DI-BSCCO HTS ship
propulsion motor successfully completed test drives. It can be called the Prius of the sea, again made
in Japan. The use of the ultimate HTS motors
instead of currently available copper wire motors
suggests an ideal future propulsion system for all
movable bodies. Japan must therefore be the first to
perfect this innovative advanced technology in the
world, however high its barrier might be.
one standard nuclear power generator) requires
massive currents of several ten thousand amperes or
more (probably direct current (DC)) to be collected, transmitted, and distributed. This can be realized absolutely solely by HTS DC cables with
tremendously high DC carrying capacity and
absolutely no power transmission loss, but never
with copper conductor power cables that exhibit
very large power transmission loss (Fig. 24).
Conventional Nuclear
Plant of 20th Century
Electricity of 1 GW is
generated at a plant at
sea side and
transmitted over a long
distance through highvoltage, low-current
OHL.
Wind Farm & Solar
Farm of 21st Century
Overhead Line (OHL)
500 to 1,000 kV
1,000 to 2,000 A
S/S
Underground
Transmission
Cable
(1GW Nuclear Plant)
Output Voltage Several
100 V to Several kV
Electricity of 1 GW is
generated by 10 to100
units of generators
located at offshore,
desert or other remote
areas.
500 to 1,000kV
OHL
Submarine cable
(1 kV x 1 Million A)
Substation
(Voltage Increase)
DC Cable
(1kV x 1 Million A)
Solar Farm
Wind Farm
Conventional Cu or Al cables have large
transmission loss and extremely large
number of cables need to be installed
Transmission over a long
distance can be achieved
through low-voltage highcurrent HTS DC cable.
HTS Cable (small loss and compact)
One-fourth of CO2
Emissions Come
from Transportation
Fuel Efficiency of Automobiles, Ships,
Airplanes, etc. Need to be Improved
Protocol
Monumental
Achievement
Agreement
of Kyoto
Protocol
(December 10)
(COP3)
Toyota
Announced
Release of
HEV“Prius”
Date
1997
Enforcement
of Kyoto
(February 16)
Protocol
2005
Sumitomo Electric
& IshikawajimaHarima Heavy
Industries
Announced
Success of Test
Drives of HTS
Propulsion Motor
Future Trend
Shift To All-Electric
Vehicle (EV),
Including Fuel Cell Car
All Conveyance
Shift From Current
Diesel-Engine Ship
Propulsion to Future
Electric Motor
Driven Propulsion
Automobiles
Vessels
Trains
Toward
“HTS Motor”
Drive
HTS Motor
(LiN2 Cooled)
Super-Eco-Ship
Clean
Fuel Efficiency Improvement (CO2 Reduction) by 30%-40%:
Green
No Waste/Non-toxic: Safety
Non-combustion Motor
<< Japan-Born Advanced Innovative Technology of 21st Century >>
Fig. 23. Historical Significance of HTS Motor
(4) Wind power generation and solar batteries are
examples of potential new clean energies in the
21st century. To generate recyclable new energies
in quantity sufficient to satisfy social needs, there is
a need to build massive wind farms and solar farms
of 1,000,000 kW (= 1,000 MW = 1 GW) scale. In
Europe, there are actual plans to build several hundred offshore wind power generators in the North
Sea. However, new energies are generally low in
voltage (several hundred volts (V) to several kilovolts (kV)), and one 1-GW scale farm (equivalent to
Fig. 24. 1-GW Low-voltage, High-current Transmission System Using
HTS DC Cable at & from Wind & Solar Farms
(5) As a further application, in the magnificent project
Global Energy Network Equipped with Solar Cells
and International Superconductor Grids (abbreviated “GENESIS” from the Book of Genesis in the Old
Testament), the solar power networks are being
proposed based on the use of HTS DC cables. The
project ambitiously aims to link massive solar and
wind farms in deserts and all available fields in
remote areas where times (day or night) and seasons (summer or winter) differ to provide all necessary energy required by (future) humankind all
over the world. In case of solar electric energy only,
merely 4% of the existing desert land area needs to
be used (Fig. 25) (19), (20).
G lobal E nergy N etwork E quipped with S olar-cells and
I nternational S uperconductor-grids
HTS Cable Grid
International Superconductor Grids will
make the global electricity, flowing from
Day to Night and Sunshine to Rainy with
very little loss, possible.
Only 4 % of the world’s desert area can
satisfy the world’s demand of electricity
generated with Solar Cell of 10% efficiency.
Toward Materialization of “GENESIS” Project
Electricity
England &
The European
Continent
The Asian
Continent
The American
Continent
Japan
Private Houses
Solar-battery
Array
Transmission Country-size
Power Network
Station
Global-size
Power Network
“HTS DC Cable” + “Solar Battery Farm”
“GENESIS” Project
Local-size Power Network
※ Global Energy Network Equipped with Solar-cells and International Superconductor-grids
Fig. 25. GENESIS Project
SEI TECHNICAL REVIEW · NUMBER 64 · APRIL 2007 · 61
Copper, said to be “one of the leading metal of metals” and boasting of a history of more than several thousand years, is in the very midst of being replaced by non
metallic substances. In the past 30 years of involvement
in cable R&D, the author witnessed twisted-pair copper
cables being replaced by optical glass fibers in the
telecommunication area, and traditional copper conductor electric power cables being replaced by HTS ceramic
wires in the power industry. In addition, metal vacuum
tubes had been drastically replaced with non-metallic silicone-based semiconductors (Fig. 26). Human civilization
has never once witnessed such a great innovation in technology as this switch from metal to non-metal. Thus no
one ever imagined at the beginning that the birth of
optical fibers, one of the precedential non-metal materials developed, would bring about today’s epoch-making
information-technology (IT) revolution.
Such is being the case, in the field of power industry, HTS has a big chance of bringing about the frontieropening power-technology (PT) revolution in the very
near future. HTS is slightly difficult to apply because it
needs cooling. And because HTS materials are much
more complicated than glass, they are taking much
more time to be applied diversely compared to optical
fibers (Fig. 1). However, its notable characteristic of having zero resistance, which means that the denominator
is made zero whereas the numerator is finite, is such a
S
Semi (Silico
icon n)
duc
tor
Automotive
Wiring Harness
Sumi-Altough
Ene
rgy
Elec
tron
ics
)
bon
Car
Energy
T
(CN
Overhead Line
Electronic Wire
Communications
Ce
r
(HTamic
S) s
CNT
0.2
Normal
Al
Cu
0.6
1
0.3
1
200
2.5 ~ 50
2
1
Tensile
Strength
1
200
1
1
HTS AC/DC Cable
Motor
Transformer
Communications
Environmental Issues
(10 Million Barrel/day)
Maintenance → Life Extension
or
Renewal
12
11
10
9
8
7∼
0∼
2002
2010
2020
2030
(Year)
Increase in Energy Demand
Sustainability
R&D of New Technology
(1) Preservation of Engineers
and Industries
(2) Countermeasures for
Increasing Population and
Energy Consumption
(3) Environmentally Friendly
120
(Billion)
100
80
60
40
20
0
1950 1970 1995 2025 2050 2100 2150
(Year)
Increase in Population
Fig. 27. Necessity of Passing On of Present Technology and Development
of New Technology to Future Generation
Optical Device
Optical Fiber
Energy
Laser
7. Conclusions
(*Biotechnology)
MRI / NMR
Normal Normal
Merit
Figure
*Energy Saving
*Resources
Conservation
(Lightweight &
Compact)
*Environment
3R
· Reduction
· Reuse
· Recycle
ADSL
Energy
Communications
Long Term
Prospect
Increasing CO2 Emissions
→ Global Warming
Life
Nuclear Plant
Electric Power Expectancy
(30
to 40
System
years)
Conductor, Wiring Harness
PLC
Cu
Non-metal
ss
0.9
Near Future
Automotive Wiring Harness
la
Weight
Present
Overhead Line
Al
G
Materials for Infrastructures
(400-year history)
Wide-band-gap
Semiconductor
(SiC, GaN)
Conductivity ∞ (200) 0.5 ~ 10
Temperature -196˚C
Decision Made
From the
Standpoint of
Future
Generations
* Policy
* Government
Support
Sumitomo
Electric
HTS
Life of Infrastructure
Oil
6. Historical Significance of HTS Technology
profound mystery that makes the HTS phenomenon
and its applications still not fully understood. This symbolizes the strong historical significance of HTS technology. Modern-day engineers should therefore expand
upon HTS technology and relevant development topics
and pass them down to future researchers and engineers in the 21st century as themes of many dreams and
aspirations.
The 21st century faces an even harsher environmental impact with increasing population and energy
consumption (Fig. 27). It is also a century where
humans must deal with the durable life problems of the
civilization infrastructure built in the 20th century
(including nuclear power generation plants). In this
aspect, it cannot be denied that this century may
become a period of 100 years with little room for optimism. So to establish and ensure “sustainability” from
the future-oriented point of view, there is no other
choice but to rely on the development of new advanced
technologies. And for this, the focus must be kept on
really innovative themes like HTS, and challenges must
be made continuously. Researchers and engineers to
maintain and pass down such technology must continue
to exist, as must such related industries also be retained
to foster them (Fig. 27). The preservation of human
resource and industry is the crucial point that the people and government must work on together, by devising
and steadily implementing fundamental policies and
strategies (roadmaps) with all the necessary support
from the government.
Population
(6) There are many other technologies which can only
be realized by HTS technology, such as technology
for power transmission and storage in space where
the atmospheric temperature is cold enough to generate HTS state, high performance NMR or MRI,
HTS-levitated linear motor car, and HTS separation
of various substances and materials. It is therefore
important to note that HTS can never stop offering
“the challenging and dreamful themes” consecutively to next generation or future engineers.
Separation
*Ubiquitous
*Safety
(*Comfortable)
4S
· Safety
· Security
· Stability
· Sustainability
Fig. 26. Change & Progression From Copper (Metal) to Non-metals
The 21st century, the century of energy, resources,
and the environment, is also the century of technological
innovation. With the continuing trends of growing population and increasing energy and resource consumption,
as well as growing environmental impact, the prerequisite for overcoming this situation is accomplishing innovative technological advancement in a timely fashion
62 · Toward Practical Application of High-Temperature Superconducting Technology - How to Proceed with Fundamental and Innovative Research and Development that Extends Over Ultra Long Period of Time -
through the sincere efforts of engineers (Fig. 28).
HTS technology is undeniably one such innovative
technology, and more time, funds, and human resources
must be assigned for its development and practical application. After the potential of new technologies and their
necessity to mankind are fully realized, then the government and private sectors will need to establish secure
partnerships and share wisdom to overcome the many
tribulations faced in the development and practical
application of new technologies (Fig. 29).
Here’s to believing in the future brought to us by HTS!
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
<Chubu-University>
6 kV x 20 m
1G-HTS DC Cable
Basic R&D
MEXT
DC
Cable
*Back-to-Back
*Demonstration
Test of DC Cable
for Large Current,
Low Voltage
Applications
Oil Tax
(Power Utilities) Implementation of HTS
Cable Demonstration
Test Using Actual
Commercial Line
Guidance
Feasibility
Study &
Demonstration
Test
Toward Reducing
Transmission
Loss
Environment:
Kyoto Protocol
METI
NEDO
Toward Practical Use
of HTS Cable in Actual
Commercial Line
Electricity
Tax
Study &
Design of
Commercial
HTS Cable
Line
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
Promotional
Measures from
Government
are Needed
Power Utilities
Toward Early Practical Use of HTS Cables
AC
Cable
HTS Motor, etc.
“Vertically-Integrated R&D” & “Concurrent R&D”
3-Core HTS AC 66kV Cable Project (TEPCO/Sumitomo Electric)
Albany HTS Cable Project (Sumitomo Electric/SuperPower)
Tax
Deduction
(10)
(11)
Subsidy
Fig. 28. Measures to Promote Application of HTS Technology (Primarily
in Japanese Power Industry)
(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)
Significance of
HTS Technology
Abundant
Resources
Harmless
Past 50 years of R&D
Material that
Supports
Industrial
Infrastructure
Clean
Green
Safe
Emergence of
Completely
New Physical
Phenomenon
Contribution to
Society for 100 to
400 Years to Come
New Business Model
Industry
Rightness
(Dream)
(16)
HTS Tape
<DI-BSCCO>
Unique and
Original
Production
Method
<<Upstream Technology>>
(17)
(18)
Abundant Supply
of Excellent
Material
(19)
<<Downstream Applications>>
(20)
Transportation
Science
Medical
Science
References
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Superconducting Wires”, SEI Technical Review Vol. 164, March 2004
Ayai, Hayashi, Kobayashi, Hata, et al., “Achievement of HTS Wire
Critical Current Exceeding 200A”, SEI Technical Review Vol. 169,
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Hata, “High Temperature Superconducting Power Transmission
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States”, IERE Eastern Asia (Taipei) Forum, S4-2, 2006
Masuda, Yumura, et. al., “Fabrication and Installation Results for
ALBANY HTS Cable”, ASC 2006, ILB02, 2006
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System for ALBANY Project”, Annual Conference of Power and
Technology Society, The Institute of Electrical Engineering of
Japan (IEEJ) No.479, 2006
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Development Trend of High-Temperature Superconducting
Cable”, SEI Technical Review Vol. 165, September 2004
Watanabe, Takigawa, Ashibe, Ito, Suzawa, Yatsuka, et al., ”
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Hirose, Hata, Masuda, et al., “Study on Commercialization of
High-temperature Superconductor”, SEI Technical Review Vol.
62, June 2006
Hata, “The Kyoto Protocol and the Northeast Asia Energy,
Resource, Environmental and Economic Cooperation Region: A
Study on the DC Power Transmission System for International
Interconnection”, SEI Technical Review Vol. 61, January 2006
Hata, “Solid DC Submarine Cable Insulated with Polypropylene
Laminated Paper (PPLP)”, SEI Technical Review Vol. 62, June 2006
Hata, “CO2 Emission Reduction Using PPLP Solid DC Cable and
Kyoto Mechanism”, SEI Technical Review Vol. 63, December 2006
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Bodies”, SEI Technical Review Vol. 168, March 2006
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Bodies”, SEI Technical Review Vol. 62, June 2006
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Motor” on The Level of Actual Use”, OHM, March 2005
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BACKS, 1999
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CO2
Fixation Cable Separation Train Automobile Ship NMR MRI
HTS AC/DC From Tarsand MAGLEV Electric HTS Propulsion
Cable
to Oil
Vehicle Super Eco-Ship
Fig. 29. Significance of HTS Technology
Contributor
R. HATA
• Dr. Eng., Managing Executive Officer and Deputy General Manager, R&D Unit
SEI TECHNICAL REVIEW · NUMBER 64 · APRIL 2007 · 63