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Under the global energy transition, can aluminum replace large amounts of copper demand? Experts say electrical conductivity is the key

Under the global energy transition, can aluminum replace large amounts of copper demand? Experts say electrical conductivity is the key

With the global energy transition, can aluminum replace the massive new demand for copper? At present, many companies and industry scholars are exploring how to better “replace copper with aluminum”, and proposed to adjust the molecular structure of aluminum can improve its electrical conductivity.

Due to its excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and ductility, copper is widely used in major industries, especially in power, construction, home appliances, transportation and other industries. But as the world shifts to green energy sources, such as electric vehicles and renewable energy, the issue of copper supply sources is coming to the fore and market demand for copper is soaring. For example, an electric car uses about four times as much copper as a conventional car, and the electrical components used in renewable energy power plants and the wires that connect them to the grid require even more copper.

Energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie analysts estimate that the next 10 years, offshore wind farms will need 5.5 million tons of copper, mainly for generators inside the large cable system, as well as the turbine generated by the electron transport to the coast. With copper prices soaring in recent years, some analysts expect the copper gap will grow, Goldman Sachs (Goldman Sachs) analysts call copper is the “new oil”. As copper is vital in achieving decarbonization and the use of renewable energy, the market is facing a tight supply of copper, which may make copper prices rise more than 60% in four years. In contrast, aluminum, the most abundant metal element in the earth’s crust, is about a thousand times more abundant than copper, and because it is much lighter than copper, it is also more economical and convenient to mine. In recent years, several companies have been using aluminum as a substitute for rare earth metals through technological innovation. From electricity, air conditioning to auto parts manufacturers use “aluminum instead of copper”, saving hundreds of millions of dollars. Saudi Electricity Company has said that by replacing copper with aluminum in its medium-voltage distribution network, it has saved the company 2.4 billion Saudi riyals (about $640 million). In addition, high-voltage power lines are able to travel longer distances by using aluminum wires that are both economical and lightweight.

However, Jonathan Barnes, Wood Mackenzie’s chief analyst for copper markets, said this “aluminum instead of copper” situation has slowed down. In broader electrical applications, aluminum’s electrical conductivity is the main limiting factor, with its conductivity only two-thirds that of copper.

Currently, researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are working to improve the electrical conductivity of aluminum to make it more marketable than copper. The researchers believe that if the structure of the metal is changed and the right additions are introduced, the conductivity of the metal can indeed be affected. This experimental technology, if fully realized, could produce superconducting aluminum that would be useful in market segments beyond transmission lines, making a difference in areas such as automobiles, electronic devices and power grids.

“If aluminum could be made more conductive, even up to 80 or 90 percent of the conductivity of copper, aluminum would be able to replace copper, which would be a huge shift. This is because such aluminum is better conductive, lighter, cheaper and more abundant in reserves.” PNNL materials scientist Keerti Kappagantula believes conductivity is key. With the same electrical conductivity as copper, lighter aluminum wire could be used to design lighter motors and other electrical components, and cars could therefore travel longer distances. “Anything that runs on electricity, from car electronics to energy production to transmitting energy through the grid to your home to charge your car battery, can be made more efficient.”

The PNNL researchers used a process known as solid-phase fabrication, which uses shear and friction at lower temperatures to put the new carbon material into the metal. At the same time, aluminum becomes more flexible at this temperature, which the researchers used to control the distribution of the material, and computer simulations of the atomic structure of the new aluminum alloy were used to verify the distribution of the material. kappagantula said it was worthwhile to reinvent the two-century-old process of making aluminum.

In the future, the aforementioned research team will use the new aluminum alloy to make wires, as well as bars and sheets, and pass a series of tests to ensure that it is more conductive and strong and flexible enough to be used for industrial purposes. If it passes those tests, the team says it will work with manufacturers to produce more aluminum alloys.


Post time: Jul-18-2022