Under the terms of the agreement,
- LANL will share coated conductor substrate materials with STI
as part of LANL's research program to develop solutions for HTS
cables in power applications, and
- STI will fabricate its advanced HTS thin film materials on
the substrates provided by LANL.
The Material Transfer Agreement represents the next step in the previously
announced collaborative effort between the parties. STI is applying its materials
expertise to LANL's research initiative to develop HTS coated conductors for
advanced power applications. Under the Material Transfer Agreement, LANL and
STI will exchange coated conductor materials developed at each institution in
order to allow research on their respective properties. The experimental results
are expected to guide the creation of a Cooperative Research and Development
Agreement (CRADA) between STI and LANL to develop technology intended to commercialize
high-performance, low-cost HTS coated conductors.
HTS coated conductors offer the promise of replacing copper power transmission
lines with superconducting cables that have higher capacity while minimizing
resistive cable losses. HTS power distribution systems have the potential to
become a key twenty-first century technology for improving the capacity, efficiency,
and reliability of the electricity distribution network.
The DOE leads the United States' research and development efforts focused on
HTS cables in power applications. The mission of the DOE's Office of Electricity
Delivery and Energy Reliability is to lead the national effort to modernize
the electric grid, enhance the reliability of the energy infrastructure and
facilitate rapid recovery from disruptions to the energy supply.