Connectors & cables


Copper is the second most conductive known metal after silver, and more conductive than gold, but the scarcity and price of these two precious metals make them unsuitable for the millions of tonnes required for a global energy network. Copper’s physical properties, such as its ductility and resistance to corrosion make it ideal for countless components like cables, connectors, and coils. Finally, it is the 25th most abundant element in Earth’s crust and it can be recycled without any significant loss of quality.


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A COPPER INTENSIVE TRANSITION As electrical infrastructure develops and standards of living improve around the world, we will naturally need more megawatts of power to meet demand. But a side effect of the green energy transition is that each megawatt of electricity end use will be more copper intensive than fossil fuel alternatives.


The main reason is that renewable electricity generation is much more dispersed than conventional thermal generation from fossil fuels, making it more material intensive. For


oday, more than two thirds (70 per cent) of copper production is earmarked for electrical


applications. Copper is involved at every stage of the electricity system: generating it, transferring it, and using it.


NATURE’S GREENEST METAL


Producing copper can damage the environment, but it’s essential to Net Zero, say Bruno De Wachter and Fernando Nuño, representatives of the International Copper Association and members of the advisory board of international electrical engineering trade show, CWIEME Berlin. Here they discuss humanity’s growing copper demand.


September 2024 Instrumentation Monthly


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