Superconductor Cables for Data Center Applications

1. Superconductor Cables for Data Center Applications March 24, 2010

2. Agenda • Introduction to AMSC • AC Superconductor Cables • LV DC Superconductor Cables • A Challenge

3. About American Superconductor • Market/Ticker: NASDAQ/AMSC • Founded: 1987 • Headquarters: Devens, MA • Other locations: Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Austria, China • Employees: 650+ • Patents owned or licensed: 700+ • AMSC Superconductors • Produces HTS wire • Designs, develops and licenses HTS products, and manages large-scale HTS projects • AMSC Power Systems • Produces power electronic D-VAR® and SVC reactive compensation systems • Provides licensed wind energy system designs

4. Partnering with AMSC AMSC offers a unique corporate experience base: • 23-year history in the development and manufacture of superconductor wire and systems • Involvement in two-thirds of the world’s HTS superconductor project installations • Supplier of >75% of all HTS wire used in power applications • In-house System Planning Department experienced in modeling superconductor cable systems • Cryogenic system design expertise tailored to HTS projects • Protection and control system design expertise • Turn-key superconductor cable system integration experience AMSC offers unmatched capabilities

5. 5 AMSC and First Element Offer a Unique HTS Partnering Experience • DATA CENTER DESIGN SUPPORT: First Element and AMSC can assist in completing any studies needed to site, size and evaluate the system impact of HTS cables • CABLE SPECIFICATION SUPPORT: AMSC can develop cable electrical requirements. • CRYOGENIC SYSTEMS:AMSC can develop specifications for, and provide the cooling system and assist in evaluating cryogenic refrigeration options. • SYSTEM INTEGRATION SERVICES: AMSC and First Element can define the scope of supply, timelines, installation, and commissioning requirements – including turnkey services - for the overall HTS cable project. AMSC is Uniquely Suited as an HTS Cable Project Partner

6. Superconductor Cables for Data Centers AC Cables • High power cables as alternative to conventional power cables LV DC Cables • Extremely compact • Extremely light • Allows for new data center design concepts 22kV, 50MVACable LIPA 138kV, 575MVACable System

7. Power Transfer Equivalency of Superconductor Cables • Same Voltage, More Power • Greatly increased power transfer capacity at any voltage level * Superconductor rating based on conventional 4000A breaker rating Superconductor cables provide much greater power transfer than conventional cable

8. Application Advantages of AC Cable • Single cable can replace multiple cables • Lower power losses bring power into a data center • Lower installation costs One of these or All of this? Photo courtesy MIT

9. Superconductor Cables for LV DC Power Distribution in Computer Data Centers Data Center Power Consumption A DC power distribution system within Data Centers could increase the efficiency of typical operations by over 28%* * “DC Power for Improved Data Center Efficiency””, Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory’s (LBNL) , 2006, p60

10. Superconductor Advantages with DC Power • When carrying DC current, superconductors themselves are perfectly lossless • Regardless of length • Regardless of power rating • Benefits • No power limitations based on current-based losses • Allows higher current levels • Allows longer cable runs Superconductors offer significant advantages in data center applications

11. Superconductor Cables for LV DC Power Distribution in Computer Data Centers • Conventional copper bus work from DC plant to PDUs Copper Realities • Voltage Drop limits length and therefore data center design • Resistance produces heat and increased cooling costs • Large number of cables are Heavy, expensive to install, and require significant support Copper, though effective, introduces design limitations * “DC Power for Improved Data Center Efficiency””, Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory’s (LBNL) , 2006, p60

12. Degaussing Systems Ship moving though the earth’s magnetic field creates a magnetic disturbance that is detectable by enemy magnetic mines

13. Degaussing Systems Today, heavy, bulky copper cables are used to “hide” ship magnetic signature. Current capacity of copper often requires multiple cables to be used in a single loop = Baseline Copper System DDG1000 HTS Single loop, 1/10 the weight

14. Degaussing Systems LV DC superconductor cables are in service today in very demanding environments

15. Superconductor Cables for LV DC Power Distribution in Computer Data Centers Cryostat LV Superconductor DC 1000-8000A Power Cable Equivalent Power Density of Copper to Superconductors Junction Box HTS Refrigeration Cable Monitoring Typical helium cryocooler * “DC Power for Improved Data Center Efficiency””, Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory’s (LBNL) , 2006, p60

16. Practical deployment of Superconductor Cables in Data Centers • Refrigeration required • Larger bending radius required for cryostat (3-6’) • Tap points increase thermal load • Minimize number of tap points • Allows long runs from more centrally located DC plants • Allows higher current runs HTS CABLE Drops within PDU or to multiple PDUs

17. Advantages of LV Superconductor Cable • Novoltage drop frees up data center design (better floor space utilization) • No electrical resistancereduces data center power consumption by up to 20% (losses and cooling) • Small single cable reduces construction cost and time • One 2” diameter, 1 lb/ft cable carries >4000A an unlimiteddistance with no voltage drop Superconductors offer significant advantages in data center applications * “DC Power for Improved Data Center Efficiency””, Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory’s (LBNL) , 2006, p60

18. 48VDC Losses: Cu Vs Superconductor Cables • Loss parity with copper for shorter distances and lower current • Efficiency increases significantly with distance and current Superconductor cables reduce energy consumption * 0.5A/mm2 copper capacity

19. Estimated Installed Cost 48VDC: Cu Vs Superconductor Cables • One cable replaces many, reducing cost and speeding and simplifying installation • Superconductor cables have smaller footprints easing installation • Lower weight reduces cable tray costs Superconductor cables are economical • 0.5A/mm2 copper capacity • Copper cost installation estimates provided by First Element

20. Advantages of a Superconductor Cabled Data Center • Establishes a new standard in power delivery efficiency • A complete superconductor cabled data center is estimated to reduce a power requirements by 20% or more • Lower cabling installation costs • Savings driven by amperage and cable length • Enables relocation of equipment to less expensive locations • Rectifiers, batteries, and UPS systems typically consume 10% or more of a data center’s floor space • Free up space on data center floors Superconductor cables are game changers

21. AMSC LV DC Superconductor Cables • AMSC can design and build DC superconductor cables of: • Any voltage • Any current rating • Any length • Completely engineered with cooling system and monitoring • AMSC wants to: • Develop standard LV DC product range for data center applications • Develop standardized connections, etc AMSC is looking for Partner Companies to Deploy LV HTS Data Center Cables