SuperNode has responded to the European Commission’s proposal for a Critical Raw Materials Act, underlining the crucial role of efficient copper usage and innovative technologies like superconducting cables in achieving a successful energy transition.
SuperNode’s response highlights the significance of identifying and securing essential raw materials required for a fully decarbonised economy. Notably, SuperNode emphasises the potential scarcity of copper and its implications for renewable energy deployment, citing projections that suggest substantial copper demand for electricity transmission.
“According to the IEA, 152 million km of electricity transmission cable would be needed to meet the net zero target, requiring 427 million tons of copper or largely half of total global copper reserves, estimated at 870 million tons. If such an amount of copper were to be used for electricity transmission, there would not be enough copper available for those wind turbines, batteries and other clean technologies needed for net zero,” the response states.
SuperNode asserts that the integration of raw material circularity into large-scale infrastructure projects is vital, especially in the context of power grids. Maximising copper efficiency through innovative solutions like superconducting cables can have a profound impact. Superconducting transmission cables, like those under development at SuperNode, can significantly reduce copper consumption compared to conventional technologies.
SuperNode’s innovative approach to superconducting transmission technology requires substantially less copper, making them a resource-efficient solution for the energy transition. To carry one kA one metre, superconducting cables require 7 times less copper than conventional, copper-based power cables. Additionally, superconducting cables can transfer 5 or 6 times the amount of energy than conventional cables at a given voltage level. This leads to a significantly reduced environmental impact and raw materials consumption.
This also results in superconducting transmission cables being less sensitive to raw material price volatility, which is causing significant supply chain challenges. Approximately half the cost of a superconducting transmission cable is attributed to the high temperature superconducting tape (HTS tape), which contains various raw materials including nickel, copper, silver, substrate, and rare earths. These are all characterized by a relatively abundant supply.
You can view SuperNode’s full response here: Proposal for Regulation to the Critical Raw Materials Act