National research programme High-temperature superconductors and fusion (PEPR SupraFusion)
SupraFusion is a national research programme that aims to strongly support the development of emerging high-temperature critical (HTc) superconductor technology in France and its application for the development of fusion energy. Thanks to the high magnetic fields (> 20-30 T) they can create at low temperatures or their operation in liquid nitrogen (> 65 K) for moderate fields, HTc superconductors could bring about technological breakthroughs for several societal applications. In particular, they could enable the design of compact magnetic fusion power plants, producing abundant and economically competitive electricity. Their advantages could also translate into significant advances in other fields such as electrical grids, wind power, medical imaging, low-carbon mobility, high-energy physics, and high-field materials science.
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The national research programme SupraFusion aims to propel France into the era of high critical temperature (HTc) superconductors, an emerging technology with multiple societal applications, and to assess the potential of this technology for the development of fusion energy. HTc superconductors are distinguished by their ability to produce extremely powerful magnetic fields at temperatures between 4 K and 20 K, and to operate at higher temperatures, close to that of liquid nitrogen (65 K), for low magnetic field applications.
Thanks to their very high performance, HTc offer unprecedented possibilities for several key sectors. Their ability to generate magnetic fields of more than 20 Tesla paves the way for innovations in energy production, particularly through magnetic confinement fusion. HTc superconductors could enable the creation of compact fusion power plants, accelerating the arrival of fusion electricity by several decades. This breakthrough could be a game-changer for the energy transition, providing a clean, safe and abundant source of energy.
In addition to fusion energy, HTc materials promise to revolutionise other fields. In the energy sector, they can secure and strengthen the electricity grids that will need to be developed in the future to achieve carbon neutrality, improve the efficiency of wind turbines and promote sustainable mobility by reducing carbon emissions. In healthcare, these materials can improve medical imaging devices, particularly MRI scanners, by offering enhanced performance. Finally, HTc superconductors also hold great promise for scientific research, particularly in high-energy physics and technologies related to intense magnetic fields.