Abstract-BEST PATHS (acronym for "BEyond State-of-theart Technologies for rePowering Ac corridors and multiTerminal HVDC Systems") is a collaborative project within the FP7 framework of the European Commission that includes an MgB 2 -based power transmission line among its five constituent demonstrators. Led by Nexans and bringing together transmission operators, industry and research organizations, this demonstrator aims at validating the novel MgB 2 technology for very high power transfer (gigawatt range). The project foresees the development of a monopole cable system operating in helium gas in the range 5-10 kA/200-320 kV, corresponding to a transmitted power from 1 to 3.2 GW. The main research and demonstration activities that will be pursued over the four-year project duration are: 1) development and manufacturing of MgB 2 wires and of the cable conductor; 2) design and manufacturing of the HVDC electrical insulation of the cable; 3) optimization of the required cryogenic system; 4) electromagnetic field analysis; 5) design and construction of a prototype electrical feeding system including terminations and connectors; 6) testing of the demonstrator; 7) study of grid connection procedures and integration of a superconducting link into a transmission grid; and finally, 8) a socio-economic analysis of the MgB 2 power transmission system. CIGRÉ recommendations will be used to take into account the established international practices, and guidance will be given on newly addressed technical aspects. An overview of the project is presented in the paper, including the main tasks and challenges ahead, as well as the partners and their roles.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.