Black Bond Tile,Bond For Tile,Black Base Tile Shandong Yahong New Materials Technology Co., Ltd , https://www.okrooftile.com
Revitalizing the superconducting transmission industry in the cable industry into a new phase
China's cable industry has long been plagued by intense competition, leading to various negative consequences such as low-price bidding, overcapacity, and fierce competition in the low-end market. These issues have become major concerns within the industry, yet effective solutions remain elusive. However, with the comprehensive development of various sectors across China, there is a growing demand for high-end special cables, offering significant opportunities for Chinese cable companies to innovate and gain a competitive edge.
Industry insiders recognize that while China is currently the world’s largest producer of wires and cables, with nearly 10,000 companies operating at different scales, more than 90% are small or medium-sized enterprises. This has led to serious issues of product homogeneity and redundant construction. Most products are low-end cables, with very few manufacturers capable of producing specialized types like fireproof, railway, nuclear power, or heating cables. Less than 1% of total manufacturers produce these special cables, resulting in insufficient domestic supply and heavy reliance on imports.
This situation highlights that although China’s cable industry produces large volumes, its technology still lags significantly behind developed countries. With the expansion of China’s land, sea, and air industries—ranging from aerospace and shipbuilding to transportation and mining—there is an increasing need for various types of special cables. If the industry fails to address these challenges and implement structural adjustments, it may struggle to keep up with modern demands.
According to rough estimates, annual sales of special cables in China reach about 40 billion yuan, accounting for roughly 30% of the total domestic cable market. Among them, high-temperature cables are in particularly strong demand. As an essential part of special cables, high-temperature cables are showing signs of oversupply. Moreover, national plans have begun supporting key projects related to "high-temperature superconducting transmission."
Despite government support, China's high-temperature cable technology still falls short of meeting new market needs. Annually, around two billion yuan worth of high-temperature cables are imported for domestic use. By 2020, the global superconducting application market is expected to reach $244 billion, with high-temperature superconducting cables making up about 5% of that.
Superconducting cables have shown great promise and are already meeting market demands. Recently, successful developments and grid-connected demonstrations in several countries have marked a turning point. After over 20 years of research, superconducting power transmission has finally entered practical stages, with commercial operations expected to begin within five years.
In April, China successfully put into operation a 360-meter-long, 10,000-amp high-temperature superconducting DC cable in Henan Province. This is currently the world’s largest high-temperature superconducting cable and the first to achieve grid-connected demonstration. In July, Tianjin Superconducting Technology Application Company launched a project to build the country's first second-generation lanthanide high-temperature superconducting cable transmission line. In August, Japan conducted a superconducting transmission test, and its developed cable supports DC transmission. The next phase will involve testing a 310-meter cable, with plans to replace aging metal cables with superconducting ones by 2020.
The development of superconducting cables could significantly impact traditional cable products. High-temperature superconducting materials can be cooled with liquid nitrogen to achieve superconductivity, with prices close to ordinary cables. This price advantage greatly accelerates the practical implementation of high-temperature superconducting cables.
In terms of performance, high-temperature superconducting cables outperform conventional ones. Their transmission loss is only 0.5% of the power transmitted, compared to 5%-8% for regular cables. With the same size and weight, they can carry 3-5 times more power, reduce losses by 60%, and save space. Retrofitting existing underground systems with these cables could boost transmission capacity by over three times and cut costs by 20%. Additionally, they enable new transmission methods using low voltage and high current.
Globally, the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and Europe have developed second-generation high-temperature superconducting tapes over 1,000 kilometers long and capable of carrying over 200 amps per cm. Some companies have already started selling these tapes, with increasing power demonstration projects such as superconducting cables and current limiters.
According to analysis, although China lags behind the U.S. in R&D and application of superconducting power, seizing the opportunity could lead to a projected $913 billion in superconducting power by 2025, with superconducting cables accounting for about 55%—$502 billion, or 2.75% of GDP.
During the “12th Five-Year Plan,†China's national power grid construction has positioned high-temperature superconducting power transmission as a revolutionary frontier technology, especially for high-voltage and large-capacity transmission. The world's first high-temperature superconducting cable with a 10 kA current capacity was successfully developed in China, marking a breakthrough and placing the country at the forefront internationally.
This achievement has drawn attention from experts, including academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Engineering, who highlight the advantages of superconducting transmission: large capacity, low loss, high current density, and compact size. This advancement is driving global progress in superconducting cable technology.
Experts also predict that besides high-temperature superconducting cables, demand for other special cables will rise sharply. For instance, locomotive cable demand could reach 160,000–200,000 km annually, while communication and signaling cables could require 70,000–100,000 km. Urban rail transit construction is also creating a massive market, with vehicle cables needing about 30,000 km and traffic signal cables around 20,000 km annually.
Against this backdrop, China’s wire and cable industry faces both challenges and opportunities. Companies must seize the moment, eliminate unhealthy competition, strengthen mergers and acquisitions, invest in R&D, and focus on high-tech cables to achieve economic benefits and elevate China’s position in superconducting technology.