There are 5.5 million miles of power lines in this country - each one is losing energy right now. This ongoing 2 to 4 percent overhead loss could be reduced or eliminated if a lower resistance transmitter could be found. Many zero resistance materials have been demonstrated in the lab since superconductivity was discovered in 1911. Unfortunately, these superconductors require low temperatures. Progress toward commercially viable superconductors that operate at or near ambient temperatures is a dream of physics, materials science and energy technology.
Superhydrides were predicted by scientists at George Washington University to exhibit superconductivity at temperatures approaching room temperature in 2017. Now these scientists have confirmed their prediction in the laboratory in this new class of materials. Their results could be an important step in the pursuit of electric transmission without resistance losses.
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