Dublin-based SuperNode is investing $43,66m (€40m) into research to design new superconducting cables to revolutionize Ireland's transmission network. The project will design, develop and manufacture High Temperature Superconducting (‘HTS’) cable systems.
Leading Irish renewable energy company Mainstream Renewable Power is behind the initiative, whose final product will be high temperature superconducting cable systems that can transfer renewable electricity with reduced energy losses, better costs and footprint compared to conventional cable technology.
SuperNode technology uses liquid nitrogen to bring its cables down to cryogenic temperatures and into a state of superconductivity, enabling “incredibly efficient and high-density” power transfer – up to five times more power than conventional cables at much lower voltage levels. The timescale to market is for the cables to be available by the end of the decade.
Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, TD, said the technology will be a major advance to enable the renewable energy transition in Ireland. “It is another step towards a green and cleaner environment for us all, and as a government, we support and encourage green initiatives that work towards our sustainable development goals,” Coveney said. “[The] technology will be key to enabling growth in Ireland’s renewable energy network.”
The latest investment was supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland. Earlier this year, the company secured $17.46m (€16m) in funding from its shareholders Eddie O’Connor and Norwegian green investment group Aker Horizons, both co-owners of the business.
John Fitzgerald, SuperNode CEO, said, “With the right support from Government, Ireland can become a European hub for critical grid and renewable energy enabling technologies.”
In April, the company partnered with CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, to collaborate on improving SuperNode’s superconducting cable systems to significantly enhance energy transmission across long distances. As part of the agreement, CERN’s expertise in cryogenics and vacuum is being used to test and analyze sample materials and subsystems for their suitability for SuperNode’s technology.