The role of nature ’ s greenest metal in the energy transition
EDITOR ’ S CHOICE NO COPPER , NO NET ZERO
CWIEME BERLIN
The role of nature ’ s greenest metal in the energy transition
Achieving Net Zero by 2050 essentially means completely phasing out fossil fuels in under 30 years . We can ’ t do that without copper , 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 the challenges facing our relationship with this ancient metal .
Humanity ’ s history with copper goes back around 10,000 years . Neolithic peoples first used native copper in tools , weapons and decorative items , and smelting of copper kicked off the Bronze Age about 5,000 years ago . The Romans mainly sourced it from Cyprus , calling it aes cyprium , ‘ metal of Cyprus ’. This subsequently became cuprum , the origin of the English word copper .
In Roman times , copper was predominately used in the empire ’ s coins and to make brass for specialised uses like ornaments and some aspects of plumbing and architecture . Today however , more than two thirds ( 70 per cent ) of modern copper production is earmarked for electrical applications . Copper is involved at every stage of the electricity system : generating it , transferring it , and using it .
Why copper ?
On the journey to Net Zero , electricity is our main tool , and the backbone of our electrical system is copper .
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 ’ s the 25th most abundant element in Earth ’ s crust and it can be recycled without any significant loss of quality .
Copper ’ s unique properties solidify its position as the essential material for electrification , the energy transfer system that underpins humanity ’ s path to Net Zero .
24 PECM Issue 68