Hanau —August, 16th 2005 — European Advanced Superconductors (EAS), a global leading manufacturer of technical superconductors, congratulates Siemens AG on the successful initial operation of the worlds first generator for marine technology, based on High Temperature Superconductors (HTS). The generator is built using HTS wire, specifically designed and manufactured by EAS for this demanding application.

 EAS was chosen as vendor by Siemens AG after winning a worldwide tender offer, based on the superior performance data of the EAS HTS wire, both in terms of current carrying capability as well as its mechanical and geometrical properties. Dr. Burkhard Prause, general manager of EAS, views this as a highly important milestone for the industrial implementation of HTS technology in marine and energy solutions. “We aim for improvements in weight and efficiency of electrical devices through the use of HTS technology, to promote sustainable use of available energy resources”, stated Dr. Thomas J. Arndt, manager of the HTS development at EAS. To meet these goals and win the contract, EAS developed an HTS wire, designed to meet the high electrical and mechanical demands of rotating machines.

The HTS generator now in initial operation at Siemens AG belongs to the performance class of 4 MW and operates at 3600 r.p.m. This performance is sufficient to provide power for a 150 ft. class motor yacht, including drive and utility energy. In this new type generator, the commonly used copper wires in the rotor are replaced by HTS. This material, operating at the temperature of liquid Nitrogen, carries approximately 10 times the current of a comparable copper wire. Therefore, HTS technology leads to a dramatic reduction in machine size and a substantial increase in driveefficiency, due to the near elimination of electrical losses in HTS materials.

The new 4 MW generator is a logical next step, following a 0.4 MW HTS motor, which has been in successful operation since 2001. It represents another breakthrough of nearly 10 years R&D collaboration between Siemens AG and EAS. The collaborations aim is the development, production and application of HTS technology, particularly for energy technology solutions.