Life cycle assessment highlights the importance of copper in China's green economy
Another recent study by the International Copper Association shows that copper cables perform 5% to 21% higher than aluminium cables when they are evaluated in the life cycle. It includes climate change, energy, eutrophication, acid rain and smog.
This research was supported by the International Copper Association, CCID and Germany's thinkstepAG, and was reviewed by internationally recognized authoritative experts in accordance with ISO standards. The study used a life cycle assessment method to analyze the environmental impacts of cables during various phases of the life cycle, from raw material extraction and refining, to production and transportation, to assembly, recycling, and scrapping.
Taking into account the significant impact of transmission losses, the performance of the cable in the "use phase" largely determines the assessment of its full life cycle. According to China's cable selection standards, the comprehensive use efficiency of copper cables is significantly higher than that of aluminum cables due to the relatively high current carrying capacity and lower wear and tear. Relatively speaking, the difference in different cable materials at other stages of the life cycle is not so significant. For example, the performance of cable materials at the end of their life cycle depends primarily on their recycling ratio and recycling technology.
As China's economy shifts from a high-speed growth phase to a high-quality development phase, the green economy development model will become an important engine for China's future development. Life cycle assessment as a globally recognized product/service potential environmental impact assessment method is expected to be in the Chinese market. Get more promotion, and this research also means that copper cable may have more development opportunities in the Chinese market with its environmental attributes.
Colin Bennett believes: "The life cycle assessment methodology is based on open and proprietary data to track copper's performance across the value chain and further demonstrates that copper is an important part of the transition to a low carbon economy."
“The Life Cycle Assessment Dataset is one of the most relevant, representative, and stable data sets used to analyze copper usage worldwide,” said FlemingVoetman, Vice President, Global Public Affairs, International Copper Association. “In addition to price, In addition to technical details and other environmental factors with regional characteristics, we recommend that the Chinese market also consider life cycle assessment methods and research results when selecting cable materials."
