SuperNode and CERN collaborate on new solutions for renewable energy transmission

An Irish green technology developer has forged a high-profile scientific partnership to tackle one of the most stubborn bottlenecks in modern electricity grids: moving clean power efficiently across hundreds of kilometres. SuperNode and CERN have joined forces to engineer advanced insulation systems for superconducting cables, an initiative designed to accelerate the integration of renewable energy generation into national infrastructure.

Without radical improvements to global transmission grids, governments risk missing binding international climate targets. According to reporting from EY, the planet currently tracks toward a severe temperature rise by the end of the century unless heavy industrial sectors undergo complete transformations. Superconducting materials offer a potential lifeline by achieving zero electrical resistance when cooled below critical thresholds, typically around minus 180 degrees Celsius for high-temperature superconductors. These specialized lines transport immense amounts of power at higher currents and lower voltages, minimizing spatial footprints and cutting infrastructural demands compared to legacy copper grids.

Under the terms of the agreement, CERN's Vacuum, Surface and Coating group will evaluate candidate materials under simulated submarine and terrestrial conditions. Paolo Chiggiato, leader of the vacuum group at CERN, noted that the laboratory utilizes vacuum environments as thermal insulation for superconducting magnets and particle accelerators. The facility will design a dedicated test rig to validate scale prototypes, while a SuperNode engineer completes specialized training at the Geneva complex to facilitate knowledge transfer. The custom testing apparatus will then be relocated to SuperNode's Dublin base, designated as the European Cryogenic Centre for Superconductors.

This initiative originates within the CERN Innovation Programme for Environmental Applications (CIPEA), supported by the organization's Knowledge Transfer group. Broader industrial overhauls are simultaneously unfolding across Europe, mirroring parallel developments in sustainable manufacturing tracked by Business Sweden, where hydrogen ecosystems and fossil-free steel joint ventures are scaling up to meet parallel zero-emission deadlines.

John Fitzgerald, CEO of SuperNode, stated that future transmission grids will have to reliably transfer bulk electricity over distances of hundreds of kilometres to connect consumption hubs with distant production areas. Fitzgerald emphasized that without new grid technology, countries cannot integrate targeted levels of renewables or achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.

According to EY, economies must simultaneously manage environmental degradation and climate change, noting that national pledges made prior to the COP26 summit left the planet tracking toward a significant temperature rise by the end of the century. EY reported that the gap between actual and necessary climate crisis spending reaches trillions of dollars per year, requiring heavy mobilization from multilateral organizations, financial institutions, and the corporate sector alongside public funding.

In parallel, Business Sweden highlights that achieving net-zero emissions requires short- and long-term goals to transform industrial sectors from the ground up, supporting sustainable production, construction, and manufacturing. Collaborative industrial initiatives in Europe, such as Sweden's hydrogen ecosystem developments and joint ventures involving companies like Vattenfall, SSAB, and LKAB, demonstrate how partnerships can accelerate the green transition across the value chain.

What to Watch Next

• John Fitzgerald is scheduled to present SuperNode's transmission strategies during a seminar detailing power distribution challenges in the age of renewables.
• Installation and operational trials of the bespoke test rig at the Dublin headquarters, the European Cryogenic Centre for Superconductors.