High-voltage superconductor successfully tested

A groundbreaking project to improve power supply efficiency has been successfully implemented in Munich. Grid operator SWM Infrastruktur has launched the prototype of a 110,000-volt high-voltage superconductor at the Menzing substation. The project, developed in collaboration with NKT (Cologne), Theva (Ismaning), Linde (Munich), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences, aims to make urban power supplies more efficient and environmentally friendly.

The core of this innovation is high-temperature superconductivity, discovered in 1987 by Dr. Johannes Georg Bednorz and Karl Alexander Müller. This technology enables virtually loss-free electricity transmission and is particularly advantageous in urban areas. Superconductors can transport large amounts of energy efficiently, reducing CO₂ emissions by minimizing transmission losses and decreasing the need for additional power lines.

Following successful prototype tests, the superconductor will now undergo regular operation trials. If proven effective, plans are in place to build a 15-kilometer high-voltage line connecting the Menzing substation to the southern energy site in Sendling.

Superconductors could play a pivotal role in modern energy grids worldwide, enhancing energy efficiency, reducing losses, and increasing grid stability. This innovation not only supports Germany’s energy transition but could also become a cornerstone for future power grids in other industrialized nations.

www.swm.de

Source: 50,2 Magazine for smart grids