Substitution indicators low in 2021 survey

Cost, performance and regulation are some of the many factors that contribute to substitution of materials in applications. In-spite of competition, copper substitution remained low in 2020 according to recent research commissioned by the ICA.

In fact, the need for outstanding performance, and the introduction of more environmentally focused regulations, means that copper is anticipated to gain in a wide variety of markets including electromobility, renewables, heat exchangers and transformers.

Best cost-performance combination

In 2020, net substitution stood at 0.95 percent of total global copper use, only a slight increase from 0.83 percent in 2019, a survey conducted by DMM Advisory found. This resilience across applications is due to copper offering the best cost-performance combination.

Copper’s properties for high electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, effective friction resistance, and size (when the available space is limited), means it continues to be used heavily across a variety of applications – these include electric motors, electrical mobility, undergrounding and HVDC power distribution networks.

China is key

Across the world, China, the largest market for copper, still has the lowest relative net substitution, per region, at 0.6 percent of total copper use. Use of copper remains high thanks to a drive for increased energy efficiency and reliability. 

Looking to the future

The outlook for the copper industry’s future is promising, with the incentive to substitute copper for alternative materials in 2020 remaining low. Copper’s intrinsic values ensure that it will remain an in-demand material as markets continue to expand on green initiatives.

Find out more

To find out more about the Copper Substitution Survey 2021 resources can be found here.

The International Copper Association (ICA) brings together the global copper industry to develop and defend markets for copper and make a positive contribution to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., ICA has offices in three primary regions: Asia, Europe and North America. ICA and its Copper Alliance?? partners are active in more than 60 countries worldwide. For additional information, please visit www.copperalliance.org.