Europe

The European Green Deal aims to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and empower Europe to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050. The deal promotes the decarbonization of the energy sector, as well as making energy sustainable and available at affordable prices. For the greening of the construction and transport sectors, investment must accompany ambition. Increasing the use of circular raw materials and products is also a significant strategy for reaching climate neutrality.

Cu Solutions: Copper supports the goals of the European Green Deal through its applications in energy generation, efficient buildings and electrified transport. Copper’s excellent electrical and thermal conductivity make it a crucial material for many technologies enabling the transition to a climate-neutral economy: renewable energy generation, energy storage and efficient energy transfer, electric cars, heat pumps, .... Consequently, copper contributes to 75 percent of the solutions to decarbonize the economy while only generating 0.4 percent of EU total GHG emissions.

The European Green deal encourages innovative digital technology, such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IOT), robotics, Building Information Modelling (BIM) and enhanced metering and communication, that facilitate and improve the management of energy, buildings, production processes and transport.

Cu Solutions: As an essential raw material for electronics, copper actively participates in the digital transition, be it through building automation, grid connection or cooling systems in data centers. The copper industry also supports a system-level approach to energy efficiency enabled by digitalization and the development of digital passports for equipment, systems and buildings.

The necessity for a strong, self-sufficient and resilient European economy has once more been demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic. An economy that can withstand major shocks and rely on strategic autonomy in energy and raw materials must be the driving force of the European Green Deal.

Cu Solutions: A sustainable choice for green applications, copper can be recycled over and over without losing any of its original properties. As a truly circular material facilitating the clean energy transition, copper contributes to Europe’s resiliency by enabling open, strategic autonomy in the energy and raw material sectors. Today, 50 percent of European copper demand is met by recycled material.