Press kit - A key material in energy production and transportation, copper is by its very nature an important element in the provision of clean and sustainable energy.
European Copper Institute 1 Press Pack: Copper at the core of Renewable Energies Table of Contents: 1. Exploiting renewable energies – Why and how? Copper’s contribution to solar power Copper’s contribution to wind power 2. The planned boom in renewable energies within Europe 3. Renewable energies set their sights on the home Copper: a key material in domestic renewable energies 4. Copper: a “clean” metal in the service of sustainable energy 5. About ECI p.2 p.2-4 p.5 p.7 p.12 p.13-14 p.16 p.18 Press contact Isabelle Verdeyen PRP/Public Relations Partners Tél. +32 2 761 08 31 [email protected]Press contact Jacques Lechat PRP/Public Relations Partners Tél. +32 2 761 08 11 [email protected]European Copper Institute Christian de Barrin Communications Manager Tél. +32 2 777 70 82 [email protected]Copper Benelux Benoît Dôme Director Tél. + 32 2 777 70 90 [email protected]
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Press Pack:
Copper at the core of Renewable Energies
Table of Contents: 1. Exploiting renewable energies – Why and how?
Copper’s contribution to solar power Copper’s contribution to wind power
2. The planned boom in renewable energies within
Europe 3. Renewable energies set their sights on the home
Copper: a key material in domestic renewable energies 4. Copper: a “clean” metal in the service of sustainable
1 – Exploiting renewable energies – Why and how? Why renewable energies today? Emergency on Planet Earth Mankind is currently facing a real challenge: how can we respond in a sustainable way to growing energy requirements, at global level and more particularly within the EU? At least 4 issues have recently underlined the topicality of this question:
1) The climate emergency: the planet’s warming necessitates the use of ‘green’ forms of energy, i.e. ones that don’t emit greenhouse gases;
2) Continuity of supply: the traditional energy sources are in the process of running out (less than 50 years for oil);
3) Energy autonomy: Europe is increasingly dependent on the fossil fuel producer countries; 4) Economic stability: price fluctuations are creating great instability on the markets and have
negative effects on growth. As a reliable and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, renewable energies have the advantage of offering a practical response to all of these issues. Wind, solar and geothermal power are inexhaustible energy sources that are green and available almost everywhere. Their use does not pollute the atmosphere or produce dangerous waste, and leads to an avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions. Being local energy sources, they can also help to reduce Europe’s dependency on imported forms of energy. And lastly, while the the price of fossil fuels is volatile, the operating costs for renewable energies are continuing to fall due to technological advances and their growing use.
How can we use renewable energy?
Solar power
As well as being inexhaustible and free, energy from the sun can be harnessed to produce 2 forms of energy: a) electrical energy and b) heat energy. a) The large-scale production of electricity of solar origin (solar power plants)
The sun’s radiation can be converted into electricity via two types of technology that use copper: photovoltaic panels and thermoelectric solar production.
These forms of modern technology exploit the electrical conductivity properties of copper, which is present both upstream and downstream in connection lines, heat exchangers, pumps and electrical cables as well as in transformers.
Did you know?
The best electrical conductor of all the non-precious metals, copper stands out as the material of choice for the production of electricity: it is used in cables, wires, transformers, generators, motors and electronic devices.
For solar power plants to be profitable, several conditions must be met: - a sunshine rate greater than 1,900 KWh/m² per year; - good air transparency (i.e. in a non-polluted area); - a nearby electricity grid to which the electricity produced can be transferred.
In Europe, the Mediterranean region has the highest potential.
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Solar electricity via photovoltaic effect:
Discovered by Edmond Becquerel in 1839, the photovoltaic effect refers to the phenomenon of the conversion of light into electricity (photons into electrons). When subjected to this phenomenon, semi-conductors such as silicon have the property of generating an electric field when exposed to light. The cells are integrated into a “panel”, the surface of which permit the passage of the sun’s light while at the same time protecting the photovoltaic cells from the environment. The panels can be combined to meet the power and electrical voltage desired.
The generation capacity of a single cell is roughly 1.5 watts, which permits applications for both the supply of electricity to individual houses and electricity production on special sites (photovoltaic power plants).
In a photovoltaic solar power system, the main uses of copper are in the wiring and the transformers, in quantities of around 4 kg per kW1. Recently, new “thin-film” photovoltaic cells have been developed that use new semi-conductor materials such as a combination of copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS). Cheaper to manufacture, they currently account for 7% of the market and possess great development potential for the years to come. Focus on Nanosolar inks Copper on the nanoscale
Taking advantage of the recent progress made in the field of nanotechnologies, Nanosolar has developed a photovoltaic cell manufacturing process that makes it possible to literally “print” the copper-indium-galium-diselenide (CIGS) semi-conductor. It comes in the form of ink and can thus be deposited in ultra-thin and low-cost layers on a flexible metallic support. Only a miniscule quantity of this ink is required to manufacture a PV cell. The resultant product is light and its dimensions are freely adaptable. Such technology makes it possible to halve the price per solar watt. For more information, visit www.nanosolar.com
The production of electricity in a thermoelectric power plant is based on the principle of heliothermodynamics. The solar radiation is concentrated on a focal point by means of mirrors in order to obtain a very high temperature that heats a liquid and produces steam. This activates turbines and alternators, which generate the electricity. This is the only solar technology that is currently capable of providing power on a scale similar to that of fossil fuel or nuclear electrical power plants.
1 Source: ECI
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There are several types of solar thermal power plants, which differ according to the manner in which the sun’s rays are focused:
1. Plants with cylindroparabolic collectors, which concentrate the rays by 20 to 80 times
This is the most common type of solar power plant. Parallel lines of long cylindro-parabolic mirrors revolve around a horizontal axis following the sun’s course. The solar rays are concentrated on a horizontal tube, where the heat transfer fluid used to transport the heat to the power station circulates. The temperature of the fluid can reach up to 500°C. Many examples of this type can be found in North America and Japan.
2. Parabolic collectors, which concentrate the sun’s rays by 200 to 3,000 times
A parabola is permanently directed towards the sun and concentrates the rays on a focal point connected to the installation, where a Stirling engine is located. Example: the Dish-Stirling solar furnace at Font-Romeu Odeillo in the Pyrenees.
A sort of gazebo is surrounded by a field of directable mirrors situated on the ground (the heliostats), which reflect the sun’s rays to the top of the tower where a boiler is installed. The temperature obtained in this way ranges from 600°C to 1,000°C. Example: the Sanlúcar la Mayor thermo-solar plant in Seville.
Field of mirrors and tower at the PS10 plant in
Seville (Spain)
b) Solar-powered heating on an individual building scale
On the scale of one building or dwelling, it can be worthwhile to directly exploit the heat potential of the sun’s rays (especially for the production of hot water) without the need to convert it into electricity. Buildings currently account for almost 40% of the EU’s energy consumption, primarily because of heating and air-conditioning2. Yet solar power constitutes an inexhaustible supply of energy for producing heat, equally applicable to the heating of homes and swimming pools as to the production of domestic hot water. Solar cooling systems also exist, generally using absorption refrigeration machines that generate coldness.
Thanks to its excellent conductivity and resistance to high temperatures, copper is present in main solar-powered heating applications:
- in the absorber; - in the tubes containing the heat transfer fluid and linking the absorber to the tank; - in the pump that facilitates the circulation of the heat transfer liquid within the circuit; - throughout the house’s heating and water supply circuit.
These systems can provide from 50 to 70% of a household’s hot water requirements (ADEME).
2 Source: EU
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Wind power Wind turbines are technological systems that allow the power of the wind to be used for the large-scale production of electricity. Copper is the best material for the electrical components of a wind farm due to its excellent conductivity, its mechanical properties, its ease of making connections, its corrosion resistance and durability. On average, a 1-MW wind turbine contains 3.9 tonnes of copper3 and helps to avoid the emission of 800 tons of CO2 equivalent per year4.
How do wind turbines work? Wind turbines extract the energy from the wind by transferring the thrusting force of the air flow into the rotor blades. The rotor blades are aerofoils, so the resultant air flow over them produces a differential pressure between the windward and leeward sides of the blade. (Air flowing over the leeward side has further to travel and so must do so at a higher speed and, consequently, lower density and pressure.) This differential pressure causes a thrust component to turn the rotor and, via a gearbox, the electrical generator.
The electricity produced in this way is fed to a transformer to increase the voltage in order to be able to transport it over long distances. Copper is involved in many components of the wind turbine energy production chain: the turbine directional motor, the gear box, the generator and control gear, as well as in the supply cables, transformers and transmission station.
In the process as a whole, the use of copper ensures improved energy output, as the electricity transmitted via the copper cables encounters much less resistance (and consequently, energy loss) than in a cable of the same size made of any other common metal. Consequently, optimisation of the volumes of copper used in transformers can reduce energy losses by up to 70%5. 3 Source : ‘Copper :essential for life’, ECI, 2008 4 Source: Catholic University of Leuven. Compared with an average mix of generation fuels 5 Source: Catholic University of Leuven
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Focus on offshore wind farms The future of wind power lies at sea: 1,122.5 MW installed in Europe
The future of wind power will be at sea, and the leading country in this market is Denmark, with 426.4 MW installed at the end of 2007. The advantages of offshore wind farms are numerous: winds are stronger at sea than on land; they are more constant (as the turbines are less exposed to squalls, they have a longer lifespan) and space out at sea is a lot less in demand than on land. However, the siting of wind farms is subject to certain technical constraints: beyond a depth of 50 metres, the erection of wind turbines on massive foundations becomes problematic, which is why floating platforms are currently being studied.
Inspired by offshore oil platforms, floating wind farms are fixed to a base connected to the bottom of the sea via cables. The Dutch firm Blue H is the first manufacturer to have installed a full-scale prototype at sea (see opposite). With a capacity of 80 kW, this wind turbine was erected in November 2007 in the Italian port of Brindisi. A 2-MW prototype is planned for 2008, and a third 3.5-MW version for the following year. These new-generation wind turbines can be moored at depths of 200 metres.
Copper’s contribution to sustainable development: energy efficiency Improving the energy output of electrical equipment is one of the most effective ways of reducing operating costs while at the same time cutting CO2 emissions. Dubbed “second fuel” by researchers, energy efficiency represents a source of considerable savings.
According to Professor Ronnie Belmans, President of the International Union of Electricity, CO2 emissions could easily be reduced by 270 million tonnes per year by improving energy output by 30%. Such a saving is almost equivalent to the sum total of the Kyoto targets. And the key to electrical output is copper, thanks to its excellent conductivity (58% greater than that of aluminium). Prof. Belmans estimates that every tonne of copper used judiciously in the optimisation of energy systems results in savings of 200 tonnes of CO2 per year.
2 – The planned boom in renewable energies within Europe The European Union’s “Energy-Climate” package In spite of their considerable potential, the use of renewable energy sources within the European Union is patchy and inadequate. Against the background of the opening up of the energy markets, Europe is going to get a directive aimed at stimulating the boom in renewable energies. On 28 January 2008, the Commission adopted the legislative proposals of the “Energy-Climate package”. Its objective is ambitious: 20% of the energy in the EU’s overall energy demand to come from renewable sources by 2020 and member states’ efforts to be particularly focused on the supply of electricity, heating and cooling.
Currently, 8.5% of European energy consumption is met by renewable energies6. To reach the target of 20 %, each country will initially be required to increase renewable energy’s share of its energy production by 5.75%. A second stage rise will be spread between the member states according to their GDP. France, for example, will have to increase the share of renewable energies from 10.3% in 2005 to 23% in 2020, Germany from 5.8% to 18%, Sweden from 39.8% to 49%, Poland from 7.2% to 15% and the United Kingdom from 1.3% to 15%. Source : REN 21
At international level, the Kyoto Protocol has set the industrialised nations an overall reduction target of 5% of greenhouse gas emissions at global level by 2010, and 8% for the EU (in relation to the 1990 level), equivalent to at least 300 million tons of CO2 annually. Following the Bali (December 2007) and Bonn (June 2008) conferences, a new protocol on climate change should be signed at the Copenhagen meeting in 2009 (source PNUE).
At the end of 2007, the total wind power available in Europe was 57 gigawatts (GW), 8.3 GW of which had been newly installed during that year to give a growth rate of 20% on 2006. Europe remains the leader on the wind energy market with 43.5% of global production, although its lead over North America and Asia is slimmer than in 2006. Lastly, interest in offshore farms was widely confirmed in 2007, with total power in excess of one GW installed at sea.
During 2007, Spain became the European Union’s top wind power market with 3.5 GW newly installed, thus taking the total power installed to 15 GW. The Iberian peninsula is gaining ground on Germany, which accounts for 42% of the European market (22.2 GW). In terms of installed power per inhabitant, the top 5 countries in the wind energy sector are Denmark, Spain, Germany, Portugal and Ireland. Wind power now represents 3% of the European Union’s electricity production, equivalent to the electricity requirements of 32.7 million households based on theoretical average electricity consumption of 3,000 kWh per household per year. Eurobserv’ER predicts that the installed power within Europe should reach 89 GW by 2010.
6 Source: EurActiv.fr 7 Source: Eurobserv’ER
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Photovoltaic energy
Thanks to a thriving German market , the European Union set a new record in 2007 for the number of photovoltaic installations. The majority of the large EU countries have put in place sufficient incentive systems to permit the development of their sectors with results that can finally be observed now in Spain, Italy and Portugal, and even in France. According to Eurobserv’ER, 1,541.2 MWP8 were installed in 2007 (+ 57 % on 2006), taking the total to 4,689.5 MWP.
Germany alone installed 1,100 MWP in 2007, thus taking its total power to 3,846 MWP, nearly 82% of that of the EU. With 340.8 additional MWP (+ 200% on 2006), Spain took up second position on the global market in 2007. In Italy, meanwhile, 2007 saw the installation of additional power of 50.2 MW, four times more than in 2006. The different growth scenarios in the main national markets suggest that the 10,000-MWP threshold should be crossed by the EU in 2010.
At the end of 2007, the total surface area of the active solar thermal installations within the EU reached the 24 million m² mark, or 16,750 MWth9 thermal power equivalent (+44.3 % on 2005). This figure expresses an estimate of total solar thermal capacity in operation, that is to say integrating a decommissioning of the oldest equipment. With 8.6 million m² equivalent to more than 6,600 MWth, Germany is keeping its 1st place, while Austria lies 2nd just ahead of Greece with 3.6 million m². France remains 4th with 1.4 million m2 installed mark.
After two years of very strong growth, the solar thermal market marked time in 2007 with 6.9% less collectors being sold with respect to year 2006. This decrease is explained for a large part by a strong decline of the German market, the largest market of the European Union. But the adjustment upward of the incentive system combined with the strong increase in the price of natural gas and heating oil has had positive effects on the market. A 50% growth rate has been measured for the first half of the year 2008, i.e. approximately 60 000 installations. Conversely, other countries are continuing to develop their markets and are showing triple-digit growth rates: + 300 % for Ireland, + 250 % for Czech Republic, + 64 % for Poland, + 50 % for Spain, + 33 % for Italy.
There are two ways of making use of geothermal energy: (1) in the form of electricity or (2) in the form of heat (a- direct or b- via a heat pump).
(1) The European Union’s level of geothermal energy reached 854,6 MWe in 2006 and is expected to reach nearly 862.6 MWe10 in 2007. With total power of 810 MWe or 5,527 GWh, the main producer of this type of electricity in 2006 was Italy. Portugal and France come in far behind, with production levels of 85 and 78 GWh respectively.
(2a) Low and medium-energy geothermal application (direct exploitation of subterranean groundwater) is used in 16 EU countries and reached 2,236.3 MWth installed power in 2006. With 725 MWth, Hungary is the leading user, followed by Italy (500 MWth) and France (307 MWth). (2b) Lastly, there were a total of 600,000 geothermal heat pumps (PACg) in 2006, representing installed power of 7,328.6 MWth. The countries with the largest numbers are Sweden (270,000 units), Germany (90,000) and France (83,900). If the sector maintains its growth rate, the installed power in European could reach 1.3 million PACg in 2010.
8 Peak power (Wp) is the term used to describe the power of a photovoltaic panel. It represents the power delivered by the panel to the point of maximum power. 9 The thermal watt (Wt or Wth) corresponds to the production of thermal power. 10 Watt of electricity (We) corresponds to the production of electrical power. Geothermal, which allows energy to be used in heat form, is measured in Wth.
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The national options11
Germany: the undisputed champion of photovoltaic power
At the end of 2007, 14% of the energy consumed in Germany came from renewable sources. While wind power still constitutes Germany’s main resource in terms of renewable energy, it is the photovoltaic market that is undergoing the most rapid growth, with a + 200% rise in installed power during 2007. Germany boasts over 10,000 companies and 40,000 employees in the photovoltaic sector; 15 plants are currently being built with 10,000 new jobs into the bargain. The industry’s sales reached 5,460 million euros in 2007 and total investment in photovoltaic production capacities came to 1.6 billion euros, with over 160 million euros going on research and development.
Since 2004, the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) has obliged electricity suppliers to purchase photovoltaic electricity, and this stability in the incentive system reassured investors and helped to structure the German market.
Focus on Germany’s Q-Cells World’s leading manufacturer of PV cells In 2007, German firm Q-Cells became the world’s number one producer of cells, outstripping Japan’s Sharp whereas the latter had appeared untouchable only a couple of years earlier. In 2007, Q-Cells announced production figures of 389.2 MWP an increase of 53.8% on 2006. Q-Cells is also well positioned on the thin-film technologies market, where copper consumption is particularly high. Through its subsidiaries, the firm expects to attain annual production levels for 2010 of 1 GWP of crystalline cells and between 400 and 600 MWP of thin-film cells.
Spain and the United Kingdom banking on wind energy
In 2007, Spain took up pole position on the EU’s wind energy market thanks to additional installed power of 3.5 GW, getting closer and closer to the level of German installed capacity.
11 Source: Eurobserv’ER
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One of the reasons for Spain’s success is the introduction in 2004 of an incentive system for producers, who can choose between a traditional purchase tariff system (set at 7.57c€/kWh for a 20-year duration) or to sell their electricity at the market price, plus an annually fixed bonus. The government has set a target of 29 GW in 2016 and 40 GW in 2030. The development of the offshore fleet should allow these power levels to be met.
As for the United Kingdom, in late 2007, it unveiled a wind turbine project of unprecedented scale: the erection of 7,000 offshore turbines designed to produce electrical energy equivalent to the consumption of 25 million British households by 2020. This ambition has offered a boost for manufacturers in terms of their confidence and strategy regarding the development of offshore wind farms. In 2007, the United Kingdom was sixth in Europe in terms of newly installed power with 0.4 GW (including 0.1 offshore), and the rising prominence of wind energy should be even more palpable this year, as 1.3 additional GW are already under construction (including 0.5 GW offshore) and a hundred other projects, including 8 offshore, have already been approved for a combined power of 4.9 GW.
Solar thermal energy: “Grenelle” Plan should boost French market
In 2006, France’s solar thermal energy market passed Europe’s no. 1 country in terms of growth, with + 83% more than in 2005. Though French market growth slowed down when compared with the last two years, it remains in 2007 the second largest E.U. market with 323 000 m². Growth should pick up again in 2008 with an expected 30% increase for the metropolitan France market.
According to ENERPLAN, implementation of the measures of the “Grenelle de l’environnement” plan should make it possible to equip 900 000 homes by the year 2012 and to reach 4.2 million in 2020. It is true that the French support system is one of the most attractive in the E.U. For private individuals, it is composed of a 50% income tax credit on the equipment (i.e. a reimbursement by the tax departments of half of the solar equipment investment cost) to which are added investment aids at the regional level and more and more at the local level. Focus on the Viessmann Faulquemont SAS production site Europe’s leading manufacturer of solar thermal collectors
In 2006, the German heating company Viessmann chose its Lorraine-region hot water tank production plant as the location for its new solar thermal collectors production centre. On two brand-new production lines, 500 personnel work making Vitosol 100 collectors at a rate of 1,200 units per day. In 2007, production reached 150,000 collectors.
A few remarkable examples The 2 offshore wind farms in the Thames Estuary Electricity for 1 million households in 2010
The construction of a pair of high-capacity offshore wind farms in the Thames Estuary in England is being planned. A total capacity of 1.3 GW should be reached within the next few years, which would meet the electricity requirements of nearly 1 million English households. A farm on this scale would also avoid the emission of 1 million tonnes of CO2 per year. Key facts about the farms:
London Array: the world’s largest offshore wind farm (1 GW) 341 turbines 12 km of the Essex and Kent coasts Contractors: E.ON UK Renewables and Core Ltd., DONG Energy Ltd. Cost: 2.2 billion euros
Thanet: 0.3 GW available from 2008 100 turbines 11 km off the North Kent coast Contractor: Warwick Energy Cost: 675 million euros
Spread over 69 hectares, 624 mobile mirrors spanning 120 m² apiece project solar energy to a 100-metre-high reception tower. With a capacity of 11 MW and able to generate 24 GWth per year, it will be able to meet the electricity needs of roughly 10,000 Spanish households. Consequently, it will avoid 12,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year .
Close to the PS-10 power platform, construction is underway on the low-concentration photovoltaic “Seville PV” power plant, which will generate 1.2 Megawatts (MW).
This complex constitutes the first block in a series of eight power plants to be constructed on this site; a project that, over the coming eight years, aims to reach a total power of 302 Megawatts (MW), capable of supplying 180,000 households – the equivalent of the city of Seville. This explosion in solar energy, a renewable, free and unlimited energy source, will prevent the emission of 700,000 tons of CO2 per year. Perpignan: France’s first positive-energy city The city exploits its climatic assets
When it signed a framework agreement with the environment ministry (MEDAD) on 18 January 2008, the city of Perpignan committed itself to becoming the 1st positive energy city. As a result, a solar power plant with a capacity of 15 MW will see the light of day at Torreilles, and 70,000 m2 of photovoltaic cells will be installed on the roofs of Saint-Charles market to produce over 10MWh per year. Several other buildings will also be equipped with photovoltaic panels, the aim being to meet in full the electricity needs of this conurbation of 200,000 by 2015 by using a broad bouquet of renewable energies. A renewable energy production farm with a combined capacity of 135 MW is due to be created under the name of ECOPARC. The site will be home to both wind and photovoltaic energy facilities, together with a heat network, and will be capable of supplying 75% of the conurbation’s energy needs. ECOPARC should also be complemented by a pair of photovoltaic panel farms situated on the coast: the 15-hectare Saint Laurent farm and the 20-ha Saint-Hippolyte farm.
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3 – Renewable energies set their sights on the home In Europe, buildings are the greatest consumers of primary energy (40% of all the energy consumed), ahead of transport (30%) and industry (30%). They are also responsible for over 40% of all CO2
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emissions, which is why the imminent Directive COD/2008/0016 will impose obligations on member states in terms of renewable domestic energy sources, applicable to both new builds and renovation work. Environmental requirements no longer come solely from the public authorities: with energy prices high, householders themselves are becoming increasingly demanding in this respect. People want to control their energy consumption and benefit from more convenient living, while at the same time helping to protect the environment. To respond to these issues, the construction sector is having to integrate renewable energies into both new build and renovation projects. Microgeneration: a new concept for energy supply
Microgeneration means the production of energy by private individuals, small businesses or neighbourhoods, in order to provide for their specific needs in terms of electricity and/or heating. Any building equipped to make use of renewable energies is a microgenerator (photovoltaic roofs, solar water heaters, etc.).
Microgeneration has the considerable advantage of reducing energy losses linked to distribution, as the majority of European countries permit microgenerators to resell their excess electricity production to the national grid. The fixed purchase prices offered by the governments are often highly favourable and the installation of renewable energy systems is also encouraged by offering tax benefits to private individuals (reduced tax rates, subsidies, low-interest loans).
The United Kingdom, for example, has already seen the installation of 100,000 microgenerators13.
"Passive" houses/ "Positive energy" houses: what are they?
Very low energy consumption homes are now coming onto the market. A passive house is a house for which final energy consumption for space heating does not exceed 15 Kwh per m2 per year. On average, this type of house consumes ten times less energy than an average house in Northern Europe. A positive energy house, meanwhile, produces more energy – electricity and heat – than it consumes for its own requirements. Solar photovoltaic, wind, geothermal… the different forms of energy production for houses are manifold.
12 Source: Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs: http://www.bulletins-electroniques.com/rapports/smm07_026.htm 13 Source: Report commissioned by the British government from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR)
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Innovative equipment Having for a long time been the object of finger pointing from the public authorities for their energy consumption, the heating installations of private dwellings are currently undergoing a major technological upheaval. Numerous innovations are emerging and the majority of manufacturers have expanded their provision by embracing energy performance and the use of renewable energies.
Integrated solar water heaters (ISWH) An integrated solar water heater consists of a thermal collector, a circulation and regulation system and a hot water storage tank. Generally installed on the roof, the solar thermal panels receive the sun’s rays, absorb them and heat a fluid that runs through them via a coil of copper tubes.
The combined solar system also functions via solar cells and not only provides the heat required for hot water production but also heats the dwelling, up to a level of 20 to 40% of annual needs. This system is coupled with another energy source (fuel boiler, etc.) to act as a back-up when there is insufficient solar energy.
Direct Solar Floor heating (DSFH) Direct Solar Floor Heating combines solar thermal cells with an underfloor heating system used both to store and emit the heat. The principle is simple: the fluid heated in the solar panels circulates directly in the pipes of a floor heating system covered by a layer of slabs, which plays a dual role of storing and emitting the heat. In widespread use, this system enables a gentle and uniform temperature to be obtained in all rooms in the house.
Structurally integrated solar cells A new generation of solar thermal cells that are incorporated into the roof or façade have now appeared on the market. Allying energy performance with unobtrusiveness, this solution offers a response to an increasingly pressing concern among architects and individuals, who wish to avoid excessively costly and aesthetically displeasing installations.
Solar glass: an innovation from Robinsun The Franco-German firm Robinsun has developed solar thermal glass for the production of household hot water and heating. It consists of semi-transparent double glazing with reinforced insulation and a built-in solar cell made up of a copper coil within which circulates a gas that accumulates and conveys heat. The solar glass fits into the frames like traditional glass and is connected in the same way as a roof solar thermal cell.
The ground from which the heat is to be drawn does not need to be particularly hot to heat a house, as the heat accumulated there can be increased by means of a “heat pump, which makes it possible to supply all or part of the dwelling’s heating requirements. Horizontal-coil heat pumps are supplied by a network of copper tubes buried in the garden. For a home with a habitable surface area of 100 m², the coils take up 150 m² to 200 m² of ground. A geothermal heat pump consumes about 30% less energy than it supplies and so-called ‘reversible’ models even allow the house to be cooled in summer.
Certain models of wind turbine allow the small-scale production of electricity for private houses or businesses. Small turbines designed for domestic electricity production can be fixed to a mast or roof and have a capacity of between 2 KW and 20 KW. They can be used self-sufficiently in isolated areas, hooked up to the local electricity grid, or incorporated into a hybrid energy system. Widely deployed in the United States, this form of technology is beginning to appear on European markets.
The Illkirch multimedia library in Alsace, France Unveiled in 2006, the Illkirch-Graffenstaden multimedia library is symbolic of an intentional environmental initiative and has been created in accordance with the standards and requirements of High Environmental Quality. The 4 m2 of solar panels cater for the building’s hot water needs. Adorned with copper, the building’s roof and façade facilitate its integration with the environment, while the entirety of the multimedia library’s hot and cold water system consists of copper tubes, thereby assuring the quality of the water.
In all of the building’s different applications where “the red metal” is present, the Illkirch-Graffenstaden multimedia library has taken optimum advantage of copper’s technical and environmental qualities.
The Chase Tower is a fresh interpretation of the traditional windmills which are typical of English agricultural architecture and the Essex countryside. It contains offices on the ground floor and duplex apartments on the other floors. The solar photo voltaic panels have replaced the blades of the windmill. Renewable energies remain at the heart of the building: solar energy supplies the common parts of the building with electricity. The project has won several awards. In 2003 it won the Housing Design Award, and in 2004 the National Home Builder Award, and finally it scooped the Building for Life Standard gold award in 2005.
The Lorenzos have two children and live in a 90-m² townhouse in Montreuil, Seine-Saint-Denis. Built in 1910, it was equipped with a gas boiler dating back around 30 years and an electric hot water tank. In 2007, they took the decision to equip their house with a less energy-consuming and more economic heating system. They opted to install a 26-kW condensing boiler with adjustment via exterior sensor, along with a domestic solar water heater powered by 3 m² of cells. The copper domestic water system was left unchanged.
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4 – Copper: a “clean” metal in the service of sustainable energy A key material in energy production and transportation, copper is by its very nature an important element in the provision of clean and sustainable energy.
Copper and the rational use of energy In Europe, consumption of electricity is increasing by between 1% and 2% each year14. The main way of controlling this growth in demand consists of encouraging rational energy use (REU), which basically means using as little energy as possible with no reduction in comfort, primarily by concentrating on energy output. Thanks to its excellent conductivity, copper allows energy losses to be significantly reduced. In the case of industry, for example, a study published in April 200415 showed that over 200 billion kWh per year could be saved in Europe simply by adopting high-efficiency electric motor driven systems.
Copper: 100% recyclable Durable, corrosion-resistant and easy to install, the use of copper helps limit waste volumes upstream and keeps maintenance work to a minimum. 100% recyclable, the copper available on the market already includes recycled copper, as the recycling process has no adverse effects on the metal’s properties: recycled copper is melted with new copper and can be reused in exactly the same way. And by reintegrating recycled copper into the overall volume of copper used, raw materials are saved! The recycling process permits energy savings of up to 85%16 compared with the primary production of new copper.
Technical data sheet for copper Copper is ranked among the most noble metals just behind platinum, gold and silver in the galvanic series of metals. Symbol: Cu Density: 8.930 kg/m³ Melting point: 1.083 °C Available as wire, tube, sheet or strip, and rod Durability: over 700 years (Roof of the Hildersheim Cathedral remains intact from 1280). 100% recyclable without losing any of its properties
To find out more about copper’s applications in the sustainable home, visit
www.eurocopper.org
14 Electricity end consumption in 2006 (UE27): 241 912 ktep – Source: Eurostat 15 Study conducted by the European Copper Institute under the aegis of the European Commission’s Motor Challenge Programme, in conjuction with the Catholic University of Leuven, Coimbra University and the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (Karlsruhe). 16 Source: BIR (Bureau of International Recycling)
European Copper Institute
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The main uses of copper in Europe The use of refined copper within Europe breaks down as follows17:
• Electricity and energy: 58%; Examples: cables, generators, engines, transformers…
• Engineering: 10% Examples: machine tools, coins and other objects used in everyday life
• Transport: 5%; • Other: 1%.
Engineering10%
Transport5%
Other1%
Building26%
Electricity& Energy
58%
IWCC
Copper: an increasingly recycled renewable resource An essential resource for modern society, copper has seen its worldwide use grow unceasingly over the last 30 years to reach almost 23 million tonnes18. This quantity breaks down as follows: 14.5 million tonnes extracted from mines (primary refined), 2.5 million tonnes recycled (secondary refined), and 6 million tonnes of copper directly reused in factories (remelting of new production offcuts).
Worldwide copper use in 2006: breakdown by origin (thousand metric tonnes)
ICSG
This growing demand underlines the importance of making the mining and use of the red metal part of a sustainable initiative. Global use of recycled copper has risen 13% in one year to exceed the historic level reached in 2000 of 8.5 million tons. In global terms, the copper recycling rate reached 37% in 2006, an increase in absolute value of almost 1 million tonnes (952,000 tonnes). In Europe, the performance of the industrial sector and the ease with which copper is recycled mean that 42% of requirements are currently met by recycling. The construction sector is exemplary in this respect, with 70% of the copper products used coming from recycling.
17 Source: International Wrought Copper Council (IWCC). 18 Source: International Copper Study Group (ICSG).
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5- About ECI The European Copper Institute is a European organisation representing the world’s mining companies (through the International Copper Association, Ltd.) and the European copper industry. Via its Brussels based headquarters and its network of eleven Copper Development Associations, its mission is to communicate the advantages of copper for modern society. ECI works in four core areas in Europe:
1) The ECI Electricity and Energy programme
The ECI electricity and energy programme, ‘Leonardo ENERGY’, aims to promote the rational use of energy with a focus on sustainable development. It is based on three areas:
• Energy efficiency: by increasing the number of studies, awareness-raising and information initiatives and by taking part in Community action programmes such as the “Motor Challenge” which encourages industry to use systems driven by more efficient electric motors.
• The quality of electric energy: Leonardo ENERGY is an initiative led by the ECI and its European network. Its remit is to constitute a resource and information centre for all professionals involved directly or indirectly in the electrical energy sector: researchers, designers, engineers, entrepreneurs, architects, decision-makers and journalists. Through different projects, including the Leonardo Power Quality Initiative programme, nearly 150 academic and industrial partners are involve. A wide range of documents plus a fully-fledged virtual library are available on the site, dealing with numerous topics related to electrical energy.
• Electrical safety and comfort: The ECI has set up a partnership between five international organisations that are the main players in the electricity sector when it comes to research into safety. They operate within a working group, the FEEDS (Forum for European Electrical Domestic Safety), in order to improve the quality of electrical installations via the implementation of a regulatory framework and periodic inspection..
2) The ECI Automotive and Construction programme
Both the construction and automotive industries are priority action areas for the ECI. ECI’s promotional work in these fields is based on three main areas:
• Architecture and piping systems: The aim is to promote the aesthetic qualities of copper, its durability and its natural anti-bacterial properties, which are widely recognised and used in drinking water distribution, central heating and gas systems.
• The role of copper in solar energy: Promote copper as the material of choice for solar energy applications.
• The advantages of copper in the automotive industry: Promote copper’s role in improving the safety, comfort and efficiency of modern cars and in developing the electric cars of the future.
3) The ECI Environment Programme The ECI environment programme is mainly destined to understand the potential effects of copper on the soil and on water. The results are used in regulatory debates both at EU and national level. All the research work is carried out with the help of leading scientists.
4) The ECI Health Programme The ECI Health Programme mainly focuses on understanding copper’s role in health, copper being a powerful antimicrobial agent. The results help to improve the public’s health by contributing to regulatory debates. For instance, a trial was launched in late 2007, at Birmingham’s Selly Oak Hospital, with the aim of evaluating copper’s ability to reduce surface contamination in a ward environment and so help to prevent the spread of infection. More information: Christian de Barrin, Communications Manager Tel.: + 32 2 777 70 82 E-mail: [email protected] URL: www.eurocopper.org
