Electricity flowing through wires always loses energy along the way — a major challenge for power grids and advanced technology. But scientists say that future energy systems may not have to accept this loss as inevitable. Researchers at Penn State have developed a new computational approach to identify superconductors, materials capable of carrying electric current with zero resistance and no energy waste.

Superconductors have long been viewed as a transformative solution for energy transmission, computing and transportation. The problem is that nearly all known superconducting materials only work at extremely low temperatures, making them impractical for widespread use.

To solve this, the Penn State team, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Theory of Condensed Matter program, created a predictive computational method to pinpoint new superconducting candidates. This innovative approach could accelerate the discovery of materials that operate at much higher temperatures — potentially even near room temperature.

“If we can find superconductors that work in everyday conditions, it would revolutionize energy systems,” the researchers noted. Zero-loss power lines, ultra-fast electronics and magnetic-levitation transportation are among the possibilities.

The scientists say their model could dramatically speed up the hunt for breakthrough superconducting materials, pushing research closer to practical, energy-efficient technologies that no longer let power slip away.