Extra September, 2009

Date of Issue: September 1, 2009

Superconductivity Web21
Superconductivity

Published by International Superconductivity Technology Center
1-10-13 Shinonome Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0062, Japan Tel:+81-3-3536-7283, Fax:+81-3-3536-7318

What’s New in the World of Superconductivity(July, 2009)

Akihiko Tsutai, Director
International Affairs Division, ISTECAward
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (July 20, 2009)
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory(ORNL) have won eight R&D 100 Awards; these awards are presented annually by R&D
Magazine in recognition of the most significant technological innovations to be made each year.
One of these awards was presented to a team led by Dr. Amit Goyal for the invention ofsuperconducting “wires” created using epitaxial growth on SSIFFS. These flexible,
single-crystal, high-temperature wires are expected to enable high-performance advantages forelectric power grid applications. Unlike conventional wires, the wires developed by the ORNL
group are round; this morphology lowers heat loss and eliminates energy loss, making longer
transmission lengths feasible. The wires can be bundled into larger dimension wires of any
shape, allowing them to be used in specific devices or designs. The project was funding by theDOE’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.
Source:“ORNL researchers win 8 R&D awards”
Oak Ridge National Laboratory press release (July 20, 2009)http://www.ornl.gov/info/press_releases/get_press_release.cfm?ReleaseNumber=mr20090720
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Power
Zenergy Power plc (July 20, 2009)
Zenergy Power plc has received a commercial order for a low-energy/high-productivity
induction heater from Sapa Profili Srl (Sapa), the Italian subsidiary of the world’s largest
aluminum profiles producer, the Sapa Group. The induction heater will replace conventional gas
heating equipment presently installed at an aluminum plant in Northern Italy. Replacement of theconventional equipment with Zenergy’s superconducting technology is expected to improve theplant’s operational efficiency, thereby enhancing the overall commercial potential. In particular,
Sapa plans to use the versatility of the induction heater to heat several different types ofaluminum alloy at the same plant, a task that was unachievable using the conventional equipment.
Jens Müller, CEO of Zenergy Power, commented, “Previous sales of our high performanceequipment have clearly proven the economic attractiveness of our highly efficient technology inhigh throughput operating conditions. In equal measure, this latest sale clearly demonstrates theExtra September,2009© ISTEC 2009 All rights reserved.

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Date of Issue: September 1, 2009

Superconductivity Web21
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Published by International Superconductivity Technology Center
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commercial advantages that can be gained from superconductor technology in circumstances ofincreased global competition and weakened demand.”Source:“Induction Heater Sale to World’s Largest Aluminum Extruder”
Zenergy Power plc press release (July 20, 2009)http://www.zenergypower.com/images/press_releases/2009/2009-07-20-IH-Sale.pdf
Zenergy Power plc (July 22, 2009)
Zenergy Power plc has announced the successful testing of a new design for its fault
current limiter (FCL), the fabrication and testing of which is part of an ongoing project funded by
the U.S. Department of Energy (U.S. $11 million) for the development of a ‘high-voltage’ versionof Zenergy’s patented FCL device. This second design is known as the ‘compact’ design and isexpected to form the basis of Zenergy’s high-voltage FCL. Zenergy is now engaged indiscussions with potential utility partners for the next stage of the DOE project, which will involvethe installation of the first ever high-voltage FCL in a U.S. electricity grid. Together with Zenergy’s
existing medium-voltage FCL, the high-voltage FCL is expected to form the basis of a grid stability
solution that will specifically address high-power stability issues in both medium-voltage andhigh-voltage sections of the power grid.
Source:“Successful Testing of FCL Design – U.S. Department of Energy Project Update”
Zenergy Power plc press release (July 22, 2009)http://www.zenergypower.com/images/press_releases/2009/2009-07-22-Successful-Testing-ofFCL-Design.pdf
American Superconductor Corporation (July 29, 2009)
American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) has amended a multi-year contract with
Sinovel Wind Corporation Limited, reducing the original 36-month delivery schedule to only 28
months, so that Sinovel will be able to meet the increased demand for its 1.5-MW wind turbines inChina. The contract now calls for all shipments to be completed by the end of April 2011. Inaddition, a fraction of the PowerModule PM1000 power converters specified in the originalcontract will be upgraded to PowerModule PM3000W power converters, which have been
optimized for wind turbine applications. Consequently, the overall value of the contract has been
increased by approximately US$20 million, bringing the total worth to more than US$470 million.
Greg Yurek, founder and chief executive officer of AMSC, commented, "This acceleration ofshipments to Sinovel was necessitated by recent wind turbine orders received by them for newlarge-scale wind farms in China. We anticipate that Sinovel will continue to grow rapidly
throughout the next decade, which we expect will give rise to new orders for our core electricalcomponents for 2011 and beyond."
Source:“AMSC Accelerates Shipments of Wind Turbine Components Under Amended Sinovel Supply
Contract”
American Superconductor Corporation press release (July 29, 2009)http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=86422&p=irol-newsArticle_Print&ID=1313821&highlight
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Date of Issue: September 1, 2009

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American Superconductor Corporation (July 30, 2009)
American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) has announced its financial results for thefirst quarter of fiscal year 2009, which ended June 30, 2009. Revenues for the first quarter
increased by 83 % to $73.0 million, compared with $39.8 million for the same period in theprevious fiscal year. The gross margin for the first quarter was 30.9 %, compared with 29.2 % for
the same period in the previous fiscal year. A GAAP net income of $1.8 million was achieved,
compared with a net loss of $6.1 million for the same period in the previous fiscal year. The
non-GAAP net income for the first quarter was $5.5 million, compared with a non-GAAP net lossof $1.0 million for the same period in the previous fiscal year. As of June 30, 2009, the company
had cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities, and restricted cash totaling $103.2 million anda backlog of approximately $497 million. Greg Yurek, AMSC's founder and chief executive officer,commented, "A solid mix of wind power and power grid business fueled another record quarter at
American Superconductor. We achieved a strong increase in power grid-related D-VAR® systemrevenue and our largest customer, Sinovel, requested delivery of additional wind turbine coreelectrical components... to meet increased demand in China for its 1.5 megawatt wind turbines.”
AMSC has increased its revenue forecast for the full fiscal year to between $260 million and $270
million, with a gross margin of between 32 – 34 %.
Source:“AMSC Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2009 Financial Results”
American Superconductor Corporation press release (July 30, 2009)http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=86422&p=irol-newsArticle_Print&ID=1314131&highlight
Bruker Energy & Supercon Technologies (July 30, 2009)
Bruker Energy & Supercon Technologies (BEST; formerly Bruker Advanced Supercon), a
division of Bruker Corporation, has entered into a sponsored research agreement with theUniversity of Houston (UH); the collaborative research will focus on the testing andcharacterization of second-generation HTS tapes. BEST will provide UH with optimized coatedconductors, while UH will test and characterize the tapes and then report their findings andrecommendations back to BEST. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Source:“Bruker Energy & Supercon Technologies Enters Into R&D Collaboration Agreement with theUniversity of Houston”
Bruker Energy & Supercon Technologies press release (July 30, 2009)http://www.advancedsupercon.com/pr090730.html

MagnetHTS-110 (July 22, 2009)
HTS-110 has announced the installation of a cryogen-free, HTS AC scanning magnet in
the experimental ion-implanter beam-line at Nissin Ion Equipment Co. Ltd., in Japan. The magnet
design required several innovations, including the minimization of AC loss in the HTS conductor,
the reduction of eddy-current heating in the cryogenically cold components, the construction of aExtra September,2009© ISTEC 2009 All rights reserved.

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Date of Issue: September 1, 2009

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robust non-metallic vacuum enclosure, and the creation of a novel power supply. The use of HTS
magnets enabled the construction of a smaller and lighter device, which in turn allowed Nissin Ion
to potentially shorten their beam line and to reduce their energy and water costs. Donald Pooke,
CEO of HTS-110, commented, “Products like the AC scanning magnet are examples of theboundaries that are constantly being pushed by HTS-110, with the assistance of a network of
local companies. With standard offerings now up to 16 tesla, HTS-110 have advanced products
for customers available immediately. New products in development combine HTS technology andNew Zealand innovation to create entirely new markets for the New Zealand HTS manufacturingindustry”.
Source:“HTS-110 cryogen-free superconducting AC magnet installed at Nissin Ion, Japan”
HTS-110 press release (July 22, 2009)http://www.hts110.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/hts-110-nissin-ion-ac-magnet-media-rele
ase-220709.pdf

NMR and EPR
Bruker BioSpin (July 1, 2009)
Bruker BioSpin has received its first order for an ELEXSYS™ E780 system, the world’s
first commercial millimeter-wave 263-GHz electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)
spectrometer. The E780 contains a superconducting magnet that can be ramped up to 12 T;
combined with new EPR probe technology for optimum sensitivity, the device can be used tomeasure samples as large as 5 mm. The system will be installed at the Helmholtz-Zentrum in
Berlin in late 2009, where it will be used for pioneering new EPR applications in solar energy
and photovoltaic research. The total order, valued at more than $2.2 million, was supported by arecent German stimulus package and represents the start of a new research collaboration
between Bruker and the Helmholtz-Zentrum.
Source:“Bruker Announces Order for World’s First Commercial 263 GHz EPR Spectrometer from theHelmholtz-Zentrum in Berlin for Solar Energy and Photovoltaic Research Applications”
Bruker BioSpin press release (July 1, 2009)http://www.bruker-biospin.com/e780

Metamaterial
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (July 7, 2009)
Researchers in the Department of Physics at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona(UAB) have designed a device, called a DC metamaterial, that can make objects invisible in thepresence of very low frequency electromagnetic waves. The device operates by making theinside of the magnetic field surrounding the object zero without altering the exterior field. In thismanner, the device acts as an invisibility cloak, making the object completely undetectable tothese waves. The device is based on the theoretical work of Ben Wood and John Pendry (U.K.).
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Date of Issue: September 1, 2009

Superconductivity Web21
SuperconductivityPublished by International Superconductivity Technology Center
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The metamaterial device developed by the UAB researchers consists of an irregular network ofsuperconductors, enabling the specific magnetic properties used to create “invisible” areas in
the magnetic field and in very low frequency electromagnetic fields. The next step will be tobuild a laboratory prototype and to apply the device in magnetic field detection applications.
Source:“Discovery at UAB brings us nearer to making the dream of invisibility true”
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona press release (July 7, 2009)http://www.uab.es/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=UAB%2FPage%2FTemplatePla
naDivsNoticiesdetall&cid=1096476786473&noticiaid=1247033268934

Accelerator
RI Research Instruments GmbH (July 9, 2009)
RI Research Instruments, a majority-owned subsidiary of Bruker Advanced Supercon,Inc., has been awarded an approximately US $6 million contract from the U.S. Department ofEnergy (DOE)’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility for the production of 86
superconducting accelerating cavities. The contract is for all 86 superconducting cavities
required for the 12-GeV upgrade of the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility(CEBAF). The niobium superconducting cavities are the core components of the accelerating
modules, which will be assembled at Jefferson Lab. Delivery of the cavities is scheduled tooccur in 2010 and 2011. RI Research Instruments has previously provided both normal
conducting and superconducting acceleration cavities to several other accelerators in theUnited States and Europe.
Source:“RI Research Instruments GmbH Awarded Contract for Production of 86 Superconducting
Accelerator Cavities for ARRA-Funded 23 GeV Upgrade of the DOE Thomas Jefferson National
Accelerator Facility”
RI Research Instruments GmbH press release (July 9, 2009)http://www.research-instruments.de/press-090709

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