Copper is called the eternal metal because it is 100% recyclable. Through history copper has been scrapped and resued, millenia before re-use was all the rage.
When we’re thinking green we don’t usually think of copper, but perhaps we should.
Besides its zero-waste bona fides, copper is:
· fueling the electric vehicle (EV) revolution,
· an essential component of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, and
· vital in wind turbine production.
While an old-fashioned car uses about 35lb of copper, an electric or hybrid vehicle uses – on average – almost 4x more or 132lb of copper. (I’m seeing a svelte me made of copper and I’m just saying that does seem like a lotta copper.)
Even the infrastructure connecting new alternative energy sources to the energy grid requires… yep, copper.
All its green cred aside, copper’s price tends to be an indicator of global economic health.
Heading into 2021, the World Bank is projecting 4% average global growth and nearly 9% growth in EV/PV high-use China.
In light of increased demand for alt energy plus the global growth scenario, it is unlikely copper production can keep pace with demand – the classic recipe for rising prices. And - truth be told - the main reason we believe these days copper really does =green.
As an aside, the eternal metal is so au currant it’s even naturally… anti-bacterial.
