| Main cost of neodynium: * Magnets themselves * Support structure for a heavy generator * Energy 'iron losses' in magnet hysteresis. Main costs of superconductors: * Superconducting material * Upfront cost of chillers * Energy loss in chillers. For bigger and bigger turbines, superconductors will always win, since the material is cheaper, and chiller cost and energy loss scales with the power generated ^ (2/3), whereas the support structure needs to be both taller and stronger so scales with ^(3/2), so superconductors always ends up eventually cheaper. |