Copper is ideal non-precious metal for the clean energy transition

The transition to renewable energy and electrification will require commodities like copper. Copper has the highest electrical conductivity rating of all non-precious metals. Here’s a snapshot of copper’s role in a low-carbon economy.

Why Copper? Copper has four key properties that make it ideal for the clean energy transition:

• Conductivity – Copper has the highest electrical conductivity rating of all non-precious metals.
• Ductility – Copper can easily be shaped into pipes, wires or sheets.
• Efficiency – Copper’s thermal efficiency is about 60% greater than aluminium, so it can remove heat far more rapidly.
• Recyclability – Copper is 100% recyclable and can be used repeatedly without any loss in performance.

Copper demand for low-carbon technologies:

• Climate change is top of mind for much of the world’s population. As the adoption of wind and solar technologies grows, so will the need for copper.
• Electric vehicles (EV) can require up to 4 times as much copper as gasoline vehicles.
• Copper Drives Electric Vehicles
• Copper helps reduce CO2 emissions and lowers the amount of energy needed to produce electricity.
• Renewable energy systems can require up to 12x more copper compared to traditional energy systems.