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   Microsoft has some bright ideas for keeping future data centers cool - but will   
   they ever really come to fruition?   
      
   By Efosa Udinmwen published 22 hours ago   
      
   HTS could allow denser power delivery without expanding substations or feeders   
      
      
      HTS cables transmit electricity with near-zero resistance using liquid   
   nitrogen cooling   
      Unlike copper, superconductors do not generate heat or require multiple   
   conductors   
      Veir demonstrated three megawatts of power in a simulated data center   
   environment   
      
   Microsoft says it has invested in high-temperature superconducting (HTS)   
   technology through its partnership with Veir, a company developing HTS data   
   center power systems.   
      
   HTS cables are designed to transmit electricity with near-zero resistance by   
   using liquid nitrogen cooling, which eliminates nearly all energy loss.  Unlike   
   copper or aluminum conductors, these superconductors do not generate heat and   
   occupy less physical space.   
      
   How HTS cables differ from traditional conductors   
      
   Microsoft says it is exploring HTS technology to enhance data center energy   
   efficiency, reduce transmission losses, and improve operational sustainability   
   across its facilities.   
      
   Veir's first demonstration of its HTS system occurred in November 2025,   
   successfully delivering three megawatts of power through a single cable in a   
   simulated environment.   
      
   To put it in perspective, an aluminum or copper conductor would produce roughly   
   150 to 200 kW of resistive heat and need several parallel cables to transmit   
   three megawatts of power safely.   
      
   While this demonstration represents a technical milestone, it is limited in   
   scale and does not reflect real-world deployment.   
      
   Veir plans to move toward commercialization in 2026, but no timeline has been   
   given for Microsoft's operational use, partly because the high cost of   
   superconducting materials and the challenge of cooling HTS lines remain major   
   obstacles.   
      
   Even at grid scale, HTS deployment is often more expensive than conventional   
   solutions when accounting for cooling requirements, supply constraints, and   
   voltage limitations.   
      
   However, Microsoft suggests HTS technology could allow denser power delivery   
   without expanding substations or adding additional feeders.   
      
   Traditional constraints require operators to choose between expanding   
   facilities, reducing deployment density, or maintaining current operational   
   limits.  HTS cables, in theory, could eliminate this trade-off and allow for   
   more compact and energy-efficient systems.   
      
   The company emphasizes potential improvements in operational sustainability and   
   reduced impact on local communities, although specific metrics or timelines   
   have not been provided.   
      
   Despite Microsoft's optimism, HTS technology is still largely experimental   
   and in its early stages, even though the company admitted in a blog post that   
   the technology is not new.   
      
   "HTS remains in the development and evaluation stage for adoption at   
   Microsoft's scale. Right now, the focus is on testing, validating and building   
   confidence in the technology with partners," Microsoft told The Register.  "The   
   work underway now is about understanding where HTS could make sense, and we're   
   excited by the potential we're seeing."   
      
   Materials availability, cost, and engineering challenges mean practical   
   deployment may still be years away.  The company's current announcements   
   serve primarily to show interest in the technology rather than signal imminent   
   operational changes.   
      
   Even with progress, data center operators will still rely on conventional   
   copper and aluminum wiring while high-temperature superconducting systems are   
   refined.   
      
      
   https://www.techradar.com/pro/microsoft-has-some-bright-ideas-for-keeping-futur   
   e-data-centers-cool-but-will-they-ever-really-come-to-fruition   
      
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