Development of an HTS Power Cable Based on YBCO Tapes

Many technical problems need to be developed in order that a high temperature superconducting (HTS) cable will use in a real power network. A second-generation HTS tape (YBCO coated conductor) has potential of making its AC loss lower than that of a BSCCO tape because the superconducting layer of a YBCO tape is thinner than that of a BSCCO tape. Moreover, cost of a YBCO tape will become less than that of a BSCCO tape in future because quantity consumed of costly component (such as silver) in a YBCO tape is less than that in a BSCCO tape. Considering these, an HTS power cable that using YBCO tapes will become an economical choice compared with a conventional XLPE cable or a BSCCO HTS cable. HTS power cables using YBCO tapes have been developed in the Japanese national projects. HTS conductors were fabricated by Furukawa and YBCO tapes were manufactured by ISTEC SRL and Chubu Electrical Power Company, and these properties were measured.