Economic potential of applying Hi < e1 > T < /e1 > (c) superconductors to magnetic energy storage

The authors verify the technical and economic specifications of SMES (superconducting magnetic energy storage) units of arbitrary sizes, i.e. to provide models for further, energy-management-related simulations. The weekly energy efficiency is based on a five/seven days discharge duty cycle (51 out of 52 weeks a year). The efficiency includes thermal heat leak through walls and reinforcement, current lead losses, power equipment losses, and nitrogen production losses. Superconductor AC losses and losses due to eddy currents in massive aluminum parts are the only major sources that the authors have not tried to estimate so far. The cost distribution of the 500-MWh facility is presented