[citation needed] This poses a particular problem when distributed generation, such as wind farms and rooftop solar power, is added to an existing electric grid.
However, this also limits the ability of the circuit to satisfy rapidly changing demand, so the addition or removal of large loads causes unstable power.
[citation needed] If a fault develops, the superconductor quenches, its resistance rises sharply, and current is diverted to a parallel circuit with the desired higher impedance.
)[citation needed] Superconducting fault current limiters are described as being in one of two major categories: resistive or inductive.
An AC FCL is usually made from wire wound non-inductively; otherwise the inductance of the device would create an extra constant power loss on the system.
[citation needed] Inductive FCLs come in many variants, but the basic concept is a transformer with a resistive FCL as the secondary.
The advantage of this design is that there is no heat ingress through current leads into the superconductor, and so the cryogenic power load may be lower.
Using a unique and proprietary concept of magnetic-flux alteration - requiring no superconducting or cryogenic components - the self-triggered FCL instantaneously increases its impedance tenfold upon fault condition.
It limits the fault current for its entire duration and recovers to its normal condition immediately thereafter.