Could you share an overview of how Fine Ceramic materials are being used to support the next generation of renewable energy solutions?
Fine Ceramic materials offer unique advantages for next-generation renewable energy solutions because of their exceptional chemical stability and durability under extreme temperature conditions.
In applications such as hydrogen generation and nuclear fusion—both of which involve extreme temperatures and corrosive environments—ceramics enable precise control of chemical reactions under harsh conditions. Their durability and reliability make them enabling components for advancing critical energy technologies that promise a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Image Credit: dee karen/Shutterstock.com
Fine Ceramics have specialized applications in fusion and hydrogen power systems. Could you tell us more about the specific roles of feedthroughs, RF windows, and superconductors in reactor chambers and cryogenic environments?
There is a growing trend in fusion energy to harness superconductors, which often require cryogenic temperatures to maintain superconductivity. Because these environments operate under high vacuum, feedthroughs provide essential access points for controlling and monitoring superconducting components inside the reactor chamber. Meanwhile, RF windows enable the injection and transfer of energy through the vacuum environment, supporting the efficient operation of fusion systems.
One of the unique qualities of Fine Ceramics is their plasma resistance and their ability to maintain insulation in harsh environments. Why are these characteristics crucial for fusion and hydrogen power applications?
Fine Ceramics exhibit strong plasma resistance and maintain their insulating properties even in harsh conditions. These qualities are critical for fusion and hydrogen power systems. In fusion reactors, for instance, the superheated plasma can degrade most materials.
Ceramics have the potential to withstand these extreme environments without corroding or contaminating the reactor, and our ceramics’ unique dielectric properties help control powerful electromagnetic fields. Similarly, hydrogen power applications often involve high-temperature and chemically reactive environments, where ceramics’ stability and insulating capabilities ensure safe, long-term operation.
RF transparency, particularly at low-loss tangent values, is vital in fusion reactors. How does this property of Fine Ceramics enhance the efficiency and stability of renewable energy systems?
Fine Ceramics with a low-loss tangent are highly transparent to radio frequencies (RF), meaning they let RF energy pass through with minimal attenuation while maintaining a system vacuum.
In fusion reactors, this property is critical for efficiently delivering RF power into the plasma for heating and control. Because less energy is lost, reactor systems operate more effectively and stably. This enhanced RF performance ultimately supports higher efficiency in both fusion and other renewable energy applications where radio-frequency power transfer is key.
Kyocera emphasizes its high standards for consistency, quality, and reliability. How does this commitment influence the performance and longevity of Fine Ceramic products in energy applications?
Kyocera’s data-driven approach to consistency, quality, and reliability ensures that every ceramic product meets stringent performance standards. By rigorously testing materials under real-world conditions and carefully analyzing the data, Kyocera can optimize product designs for durability and effectiveness. This process directly improves both performance and longevity while reducing risk due to high-reliability requirements, especially critical in demanding energy applications where high temperatures, corrosive environments, and other extreme factors come into play.
Kyocera’s global facilities are critical in producing Fine Ceramics for energy applications. How do these facilities contribute to meeting the specialized needs of renewable energy projects worldwide?
Kyocera’s global presence and facilities that manufacture Fine Ceramics for energy applications enable quick turnarounds and options for design changes when requested. Our global presence also enables the development of new materials and testing when necessary for the application. Kyocera operates nine Fine Ceramic research, design, and/or manufacturing facilities across Japan, Germany, and the United States (US).
Each facility has its own manufacturing strengths; for example, our US facilities can support high-reliability government projects, European operations can supply advanced ceramic components for magnetically driven pumps, and our Japanese facilities can produce high-volume, sophisticated feedthroughs, among other specialty products.
Sustainability is a core part of the renewable energy mission. How does Kyocera’s work with Fine Ceramics align with broader CSR goals like sustainability and clean energy for a better world?
Kyocera’s long-standing corporate philosophy places a strong emphasis on corporate social responsibility. As part of these efforts, the company is targeting 100 % carbon neutrality by 2051 and aims to increase renewable energy use at its global facilities by 20 times by 2031, compared to 2014 levels. In addition to internal sustainability initiatives, Kyocera actively supports the development of renewable and clean energy sectors—including hydrogen and fusion—which further contributes to its long-term environmental goals.
Additionally, Kyocera’s global network of facilities ensures rapid response and flexible design modifications for renewable energy projects. By having production and R&D centers strategically located around the world, Kyocera can quickly deliver custom Fine Ceramic solutions and provide localized support. Moreover, these facilities share extensive data on materials and testing, ensuring that each product meets rigorous quality and performance standards—essential for complex, high-stakes energy applications.
What challenges does the company face in advancing Fine Ceramics for new renewable energy technologies, and how is Kyocera working to overcome them?
With the rapid emergence of renewable energy technologies, Kyocera faces challenges related to extremely high temperatures, corrosive environments, and tight performance requirements.
To overcome these hurdles, we closely collaborate with technology developers to fully understand their needs and establish clear performance targets. Through this process, we innovate new ceramic materials, conduct rigorous testing under simulated operational conditions, and refine product designs. This proactive and data-driven approach ensures that our Fine Ceramics can reliably perform in harsh environments and continually adapt to evolving renewable energy applications ranging from Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells and the world’s first semi-solid lithium-ion storage batteries to commercializing new energy concepts.
Looking ahead, what role do you envision for Fine Ceramics in the future of renewable energy, especially as the fields of fusion and hydrogen power continue to evolve?
As renewable energy demand grows—especially in emerging areas like fusion and hydrogen—Fine Ceramics will play an increasingly vital role. Both fields are at a stage where a lot of foundational R&D has been completed, and the next stage must focus on engineering, where super materials like ceramics will be key. This aligns with Kyocera’s strong capability to mass-produce ceramic supermaterials and components.
Beyond containment and insulation, ongoing material innovations in ceramics open new possibilities for use in energy storage systems and other advanced power-generation technologies. Fine Ceramics’ customizability, combined with close collaboration in R&D, ensures they can evolve alongside these next-generation renewable energy systems and help bring them to scale.
About Dr. Shinobu Nagata
Dr. Shinobu Nagata is a Senior Design Engineer in the Fine Ceramics Group at Kyocera International, Inc., based in San Diego. Dr. Nagata holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University, as well as
master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Physics. At Kyocera, Dr. Nagata leads the development of ceramic components for particle accelerators, fusion energy systems, and small satellites, culminating in the first-ever launch of a cordierite mirror for an optical inter-satellite link application.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Kyocera International, Inc.
For more information on this source, please visit Kyocera International, Inc.
Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited (T/A) AZoNetwork, the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and Conditions of use of this website.