How copper can radically reduce CO2 emissions
Copper has a key role in the generation and distribution of electricity to power our industries, businesses and homes. It also helps to save energy and, as a consequence, reduce CO2 emissions and combat climate change. It has a key contribution to make in the attainment of the EU’s target that 20% of Europe’s energy will come from renewable sources by 2020 – the subject of Directive 2001/77/EC - both in terms of energy efficiency and the development of renewable resources.
Some of the European Union's main goals include the rational use of energy, the reduction of CO2 emissions and an increase in the percentage of electricity generated from renewable energy sources.
Of all the non-precious metals, copper is the most efficient conductor of electricity, a substantial 65% higher than aluminium. Because of its efficiency in terms of conductivity, copper enables a significant reduction in energy losses. This essential property makes it critical to energy production and distribution, so that both conventional (e.g. fossil fuels and nuclear) and renewable (wind, tidal and solar) sources rely heavily on copper. Through its use in generators, motors and transformers, copper is the main provider of electrical energy efficiency, essential for energy savings and reductions in CO2 emissions.
It is also interesting to note that, in Europe, according to the International Wrought Copper Council2 , 58% of refined copper is used in the electricity and energy field – more than twice as much as the 26% used in the next sector – building and construction.
In 1997, signatories to the Kyoto Protocol agreed on an overall objective of a 5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2010, with an objective of 8% for the EU (compared with 1990 levels). One of the most effective ways to attain these is to improve energy yields, both reducing operating expenses and decreasing CO2 emissions.
In Europe, over a quarter of electricity is consumed by households. Energy consumption is continuing to rise by 1% per year and, in order to meet this increasing demand, the Rational Use of Energy (RUE) is being promoted. This means using the least possible amount of energy for the same level of comfort, notably by enhancing energy efficiency.
In fact, energy efficiency is a source of savings that, on its own, could meet all the European Union’s Kyoto objectives (roughly 270 million tonne lower CO2 emissions per year), according to Professor R. Belmans of the University of Leuven, in Belgium. It is estimated that each tonne of copper used efficiently in improving the yield from energy systems leads to a saving of 200 tonne of CO2. For instance, according to experts of the Leonardo initiative (click here to see eco-sheet), a 22 kW motor, 50% loaded for 50% of the time, saves well over 3,000 kg of CO2 per kg of copper used.
An April 2004 study, prepared in the context of the European Commission’s Motor Challenge initiative, demonstrated that over 200 billion kWh per year could be saved in Europe simply by increasing the use of high-efficient electrical motor driven systems. High-efficiency electric motors contain 30% more copper and their use, recommended within the Motor Challenge, reduces electricity losses by 30%.
Copper is essential for solar technologies and also plays an important role in wind energy. The generator in a 1.5 MW wind turbine contains no less than 3.4 tonne of copper to convert the wind energy into electricity.
Moving to the level of the individual energy consumer, products such as refrigerators, coffee machines, ovens, computers and chargers could not function without copper, which constitutes between 1% and 20% by weight of such equipment. Increasing the amount of copper used in these applications improves their performance and reduces energy losses during use.
The next issues of this newsletter will examine copper’s role in power quality (PQ), as well as developments regarding electrical safety in homes.
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2 The International Wrought Copper Council (IWCC) is a trade association representing the copper fabricating industry. Website: www.coppercouncil.org/
