2023 Copper wrap-up

In September, I celebrated my 16th anniversary at the International Copper Association, and I can say that the work remains as interesting and varied as it was on the first day. In fact, no two days are the same at our organisation. I summarize the year in twelve months, which, while not fully capturing the diversity of activities undertaken, provide an overview of the topics I have been addressing this year.

January - General assembly of HELIOS project

HELIOS_H2020 is an 11 M€ EU-funded project which aims to develop a new concept of standardised, modular and scalable battery pack highly efficient for use in a varied range of applications. The new battery pack is expected to combine improved autonomy and charging performance with enhanced safety standards and a minimum carbon footprint.

The European Copper Institute (ECI) leads several tasks:

• First, in the electrical connectivity field, a special jointing solution is being developed with copper fabricators to offer reliable aluminium-to-copper connections. This is needed to connect positive and negative battery tabs between them, as well as to connect aluminium tabs to copper busbars.?

• Second, in the field of thermal conductivity, ECI has introduced the use of copper meshes to boost the heat exchange rate with phase change materials, which are used in Helios project to guarantee a stable temperature of the battery cells, even in challenging conditions, such as very fast charging, so as to preserve the battery lifetime.

• Third, still in the field of thermal conductivity, copper is selected as the best material for the cold plate of the cell sensor circuit (part of the battery management system).
• Fourth, ECI, in charge of multiple communication activities, has led the development of its corporate video.

February – Standardization of photovoltaic installations

A Joint Working Group (JWG32) has been created with the participation of the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standardisation committees TC82 (photovoltaic installations) and TC64 (electrical installations and protection against electric shock). ECI participates in this group with a particular focus on cable systems. We’ll host early 2024 a meeting of this group, which will issue its new standard 60364-7-712 shortly after.

March – Transformers workshop

As a continuation of a first workshop held earlier in October 2022, ECI convened the main value chain players (transformer manufacturers, utilities, steel makers and consultants) to share viewpoints and positions on key aspects of the existing Regulation (EU) 2019/1783.

Meanwhile, the European Commission DG GROW launched later in August the process to review the regulation, with the aim to assess the optimal energy performance levels and the introduction of material efficiency requirements, among other aspects. ECI has articulated its position around the following points:

• Strengthen Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) while introducing material efficiency requirements (MMPS).
• Allow flexibility in design.
• Promote the lowest life cycle cost at system level.
• Introduce Design-for-Recycling requirements.

Still in the transformers arena, ECI, in close collaboration with transformer manufacturers and value chain, authored the article “Sustainable Peak Load Transformers”, which was elected by the readers of Transformers Magazine as the best in 2022. Transformers Magazine is one of the most influential media in Europe in the field of transformers. The article explains the principles and develops the advantages of the so-called “Sustainable Peak Load” technology, consisting of designs which can host extra-capacity without using extra-material.

April – Induction motors platform

Late 2022 ECI initiated the so called Induction Motors Platform , together with Wieland (fabricator), Motor Design - Ansys (software), Denis Ferranti Group (motor manufacturer) and Nottingham University (academy). The purpose of this platform is to showcase the progress of induction technology in multiple fields, notably in e-mobility, and gather support for its further development (industry consortia, public funding, etc).

A dedicated LinkedIn page was launched early 2023. Since then, 700+ followers have subscribed and 43000 post views have been generated.

May – Coil Winding Exhibition (CWIEME) Berlin

CWIEME Events (Coil Winding, Insulation, & Electrical Manufacturing Exhibition) is attended by 4000+ visitors. ECI spoke at two conferences.

The first intervention focused on proposed routes to improve material efficiency in transformers. ECI delivered three messages: 1) Keep up on energy performance targets while caring about material efficiency; 2) Allow flexibility in design, allow innovative options to enter the market; 3) Promote design for recycling, avoiding options for which recycling is unfeasible.

The second intervention offered a holistic overview of recent innovations for induction motors. This technology presents the advantage of getting rid of rare earth elements, that OEMs try to avoid, due to the strong dependance on a single international supplier (China). The copper rotor technology was presented and attracted the attention of the audience.

June – High Voltage Cable

The market for high voltage and extra-high voltage cable in Europe is expected to boom this decade, due to the implementation of the Green Deal objectives, which foster electrification and the development of offshore wind. Annual growth of this segment is expected to exceed 20% as an average over the decade, with a cumulative length of cable of 100,000+ km.

ECI partners with Europacable to keep the path of this market and to provide the required information in terms of copper as a raw material.

Copper has a unique ESG profile, notably in terms of CO2 and recyclability.

The relevance of grids has meanwhile been recognised by the European Commission in its Grids Action Plan.

July – The project EU-MORE makes progress

Following the promotion of the motor replacement concept, ECI obtained in 2022 1.1 M€ funding from the European Commission CINEA - European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency to carry out a project called EU-MORE (2022-2025 LIFE Programme), which supports policy makers to implement measures aligned with this purpose, together with the University of Coimbra, the Austrian Energy Agency, the Greek Centre For Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES), the Institute For European Energy and Climate Policy Stichting (IECCP) and Fraunhofer Institute ISI.

1. About 1/3 of EU electricity consumption is used by electric motors. Their energy efficiency level matters. A market model is being developed to make proper estimates on the energy savings impact of the project.
2. 61 policy measures have been analysed all over Europe, directly or indirectly involving the replacement of old electric motors. Additionally, the new Energy Efficiency Directive opens multiple avenues to improve the efficiency level of existing motor fleets. Indeed, the text supports this kind of measures, as stated in its Annex V: “[...] for policies that accelerate the uptake of more efficient products and vehicles [...] full credit may be claimed, provided that it is shown that such uptake takes place before [...] the product or vehicle would usually be replaced.”
3. Proper recycling matters. Steel and copper can be reused after conditioning or processing. A broad survey is being carried out to depict the recycling landscape for motors and identify potential areas for improvement.
4. An Excel tool has been developed to support policy makers to estimate the impact that motor replacement policies could have in their countries.

August – Launch of fire-resistant cable campaign

ECI and Europacable launched a joint campaign to improve the knowledge among electrical designers and installers about the right method to size fire-resistant cables. Supported by Voltimum, the campaign is reaching several tens of thousands of professionals around Europe, in 11 languages.

A preliminary survey carried out in 2021 revealed that awareness level among EU electrical designers and installers is very low (<20%). This situation needed to be addressed.

Cable sizing for fire conditions is different from cable sizing for normal operating conditions. This is because electrical resistance increases sharply as temperature rises. This fact is often ignored, potentially leading to unsafe installations.

September – Energy Efficiency Directive published

Following a 2-year long advocacy process, ECI obtained two positive outcomes for the industry in the new Energy Efficiency Directive text: residual heat recovery and industrial energy savings.

The primary route for copper manufacturing releases important amounts of heat. Consequently, ECI had asked to have an explicit recognition of projects recovering and valorising waste heat flows. Such demand has been reflected in the article 23.4 of the directive as follows: “ [...] Member States shall take adequate measures for efficient district heating and cooling infrastructure to be developed and/or to encourage the development of installations for the utilisation of waste heat, including in the industrial sector…”.?

Another positive outcome for the copper industry is the extended support for energy efficiency projects, including energy savings obtained from direct fossil fuel combustion technologies (Annex V.2.j).

October – Ecodesign preparatory study

In October took place the launch of Ecodesign preparatory study for product specific measures on scarce, environmentally relevant and critical raw materials, and or recycled content.

Copper is an important element in energy-related and electrical applications. In fact, about one fourth of the EU demand for copper takes place in Ecodesign-regulated products: motors, transformers, photovoltaic installations, taps and showers…

November – Launch of the motors Academy

A Motors Academy has been launched in November, which consists on webinar series about policy, technology and market for electric motors, with external speakers. It covers both industrial motors and e-mobility powertrains. ECI aims to develop its motors-related community beyond 2000 members.?

December – CTI symposium

ECI made a presentation at the CTI SYMPOSIUM - Automotive ? Powertrain ? Systems in Berlin, a gathering of?700 professionals of E-mobility, including a conference and a trade show. The three most recurrent questions asked by automotive OEMs, Tier1 and Tier 2 suppliers were addressed:

1. What are the key circularity features of copper?
2. What are its GHG emissions?
3. What is the long-term availability of copper?

Additionally, multiple discussions took place on the progressive move away from rare earths in traction motors and the technologies that will make it possible. A 10-point summary is available here:

Would not have been possible without the support of a great team...

My special thanks to my International Copper Association Europe and International Copper Association colleagues and close consultants: Anna-Maria Karjalainen Bernard Respaut Diedert Debusscher Bruno De Wachter Tomas Jezdinsky Angelo. Baggini Hans De Keulenaer Aurelio Braconi Symeon Christofyllidis Robert Pintér Quentin de Hults Olivier Tissot Frosina Velkovska Diego Garcia Carvajal Mukund Bhagwat Salvatore Ricci Wendy Wellens Ignacio Gentiluomo Du?an Jakovljevi? Daniel Liang Richard Xu Philip Zhang Anthony Lea John Hipchen Serge Noels Adam Kotrba Gabrielle Peterson Steve Kukoda Laurent Chokoualé Datou Colin Bennett James Li Géraud Servin Louise Assem Mayur Karmarkar Nicole (Gerdeman) Witoslawski Ladji Tikana

As well as to our members and copper fabricator community Tanja Winter Dr. Cornel Abratis Fredrik Adlercreutz Mike Smith Meri Rovira Puig Michal Kaminski Johan Andersson Gerhard Thumm

Many thanks as well to all those colleagues and partners having made these achievements happen: Péter Szilágyi Bob Austin David Gerada Mircea Popescu Franck Gyppaz Dario Giordani Marko Ahn Alberto Lampasona Raf Schuermans Jo?o Fong Nikos. Ntaras Erik Faassen Ivan Sangiorgio Wolfgang Eichhammer Robin Barkhausen Antoine Durand Konstantin Kulterer Erdal Cetkin Corneliu Barbu Marc Jeroense Yavor Sofronov Ben Wilson Rita Werle Paolo Bertoldi Giuseppe Volpe Giuseppe Fabri Wim De Maesschalck Roberto Fernández Jardón Alexandra da Fonte Martins Sylvia Zenzinger