Environmental Modelling Laboratory

Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emission

associated with the production, use and final disposal
of PVC, XLPE and PE cables.

Dr. José María Baldasano Recio

María Gonçalves Ageitos
Dr. Pedro Jiménez Guerrero

Report: PVC-Cab-200511-2

Barcelona, November 2005

Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Index

1. Summary................................................................................................ 1
2. Background ........................................................................................... 3
2.1. Objective and calculation bases .................................................................................... 3
2.2. Contents of the document.............................................................................................. 4
3. The life cycle of a cable......................................................................... 5
4. Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emission attributable to 1
m of cable for electricity distribution. ....................................................... 6
4.1. Calculation base ............................................................................................................ 6
4.1.1. Dimensions............................................................................................................ 6
4.1.2. Materials................................................................................................................ 6
4.1.3. Scenarios analysed ................................................................................................ 7
4.2. Extraction and production of materials ......................................................................... 9
4.3. Production of the cable................................................................................................ 11
4.4. Installation and dismantling of the cable..................................................................... 11
4.5. Use of the cable. .......................................................................................................... 12
4.6. Recycling..................................................................................................................... 13
4.7. Final disposal .............................................................................................................. 13
4.8. Transport ..................................................................................................................... 13
4.9. Emission factors .......................................................................................................... 14
5. Results and comparative analysis...................................................... 15
6. Conclusions ............................................................................................ 1
7. References .............................................................................................. 3

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Index of tables.
Table 4.1. Characteristics of the cables selected.......................................................8
Table 4.2. Characteristics of the cables considered: maximum resistance at
20ºC and maximum admissible intensity...............................................................8
Table 4.3. Mean composition of the insulants of the standard cables
considered..................................................................................................................8
Table 4.4 Energy consumption figures for extraction of natural resources and
production of materials..........................................................................................10
Table 4.5. Estimated energy consumption in the usage stage of the cable.
Considering heat losses through Joule effect. ...................................................12
Table 4.6. CO2 emission factors. ...................................................................................14
Table 5.1. Energy consumption and CO2 emission estimates for the different life
cycle stages of 1 m of RS 35 mm2 single-pole cable with copper conductor
and PVC insulant. ....................................................................................................16
Table 5.2. Energy consumption and CO2 emission estimates for the different life
cycle stages of of 1 m of RS 35 mm2 single-pole cable with copper
conductor and PVC insulant, with 25% recycled PVC in the insulant. ..........16
Table 5.3. Energy consumption and CO2 emission estimates for the different life
cycle stages of of 1 m of RS 25 mm2 single-pole cable with copper
conductor and XLPE insulant, with PVC coating...............................................17
Table 5.4. Energy consumption and CO2 emission estimates for the different life
cycle stages of of 1 m of RS 25 mm2 single-pole cable with copper
conductor and PE insulant, with mineral charge. .............................................17
Table 5.5. Energy consumption and CO2 emission estimates for the different life
cycle stages of of 1 m of RS 25 mm2 single-pole cable with copper
conductor and PE insulant, with mineral charge, with 25% recycled PE. .....18
Table 5.6. Summary of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with
each of the life cycle stages of cables with insulants made of different
materials......................................................................................................................1
Table 5.7. Energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the life cycle
of single-pole cables with copper conductor and insulation made of
different materials. Summary...................................................................................2

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Index of figures.
Figure 3.1. Flowchart of the life cycle of a cable........................................................5
Figure 4.1. Commercial single-pole cables with insulant made of different
materials......................................................................................................................6
Figure 5.1. Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with
the life cycle of single-pole cables for electricity distribution with PVC
insulant. .....................................................................................................................18
Figure 5.2. Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with
the life cycle of single-pole cables for electricity distribution with PVC
insulant, with 25% recycled material in the composition. ................................19
Figure 5.3 Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with
the life cycle of single-pole cables for electricity distribution with XLPE
insulant ......................................................................................................................19
Figure 5.4. Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with
the life cycle of single-pole cables for electricity distribution with PE insulant
with mineral charge ................................................................................................20
Figure 5.5 Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with
the life cycle of single-pole cables for electricity distribution with PE insulant
with mineral charge, with 25% recycled material in the composition...........20

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 Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

1. Summary

Cables are a fundamental tool in a large number of applications: distribution of

electricity, the automotive industry, telecommunications, etc.

This study focuses on electricity distribution cables used domestically.

Specifically, on single-pole cables with copper conductor and insulant made of
just one material.

The methodology used is based on a procedure for environmental accounting

of energy consumption and CO2 emission figures, in which these indicators
have been estimated in each of the stages in the cable’s life cycle (extraction
and supply of materials, production of the cable, transport for installation, use
and final disposal). The end results signify the sum of the energy consumption
and CO2 emission figures equivalent to each of these stages.

The standard case for the study to be carried out was a single-pole cable with
copper conductor and PVC insulation, with a rated section of 35 mm2. The
elements for comparison purposes selected were cables with insulant made of
XLPE cross-linked polyethylene and PE with mineral charge, with a rated section
of 25 mm2, in such as way that the three types of cables compared allow a
maximum admissible intensity as close as possible, taking Low-voltage
Electrotechnical Regulations into consideration.

The XLPE cable additionally has a PVC coating since, although the choice of
insulants with mixed materials has been avoided throughout, it has been noted
that, for the specific case of cross-linked polyethylene, it is not usual to find
single-pole cables without a coating of a different composition.

The unit of assessment selected was a section 1 m in length of each of the

cables listed above. To calculate the energy losses in the usage stage, the
cable’s mean lifetime, considered as 50 years for all the materials, was
contemplated, assuming a usage time of 8 hours per day.

In the case of the PVC and the PE with mineral charge, the option of
introducing 25% recycled materials into the cable composition was
contemplated, although at present, the use of recycled raw materials is not
common. Cross-linked polyethylene is not usually subjected to recycling
processes because of its structure, and this option has therefore not been
considered.

The cable presenting the best results from the viewpoint of the environmental
indicators considered is PVC with 25% recycled materials in its composition, with
an energy consumption throughout the life cycle of 144 kWh m-1 and the
associated CO2 emission of 65 kg.

Not including recycled material in the cable signifies a 0.1% increase in energy
consumption and in CO2 emissions. The new PVC cable considered, throughout
the life cycle, consumes 145 kWh m-1, and signifies emission of 65 kg of CO2.

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

There follow the polyethylene cables with mineral charge (with and without
recycled material), which signify consumption of 198 kWh m-1 and emission of
88 kg of CO2.

The cable signifying the largest energy consumption is the cross-linked

polyethylene, 199 kWh m-1, and emission of 88 kg of CO2 m-1.

The PE cables with mineral charge, either with or without recycled materials,
and the cross-linked polyethylene, signify very similar energy consumption
figures, with a difference of less than 1%.

Including 25% recycled materials in the composition of the PVC cable signifies
an energy saving in the region of just 0.1%.

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

2. Background

Nowadays, cables are an essential tool in a large number of applications. They

are widely used in construction, telecommunications (fibre-optics, etc.), in the
automotive, railway and aerospace industries, in electricity distribution and in
the field of electronics.

In this document, cables intended for domestic electrical installations are

considered, specifically those specified in the Low-voltage Electrotechnical
Regulations (Royal Decree 842/2002 of the 2nd August 2002).

Low-voltage distribution grids start out from high/low-voltage transformation

stations and distribute electricity along main thoroughfares or streets, to provide
the corresponding power supplies to buildings.

The most commonly used conductors in electricity distribution are aluminium

and copper.

Furthermore, cables can be divided into two major groups: single-pole and
multi-pole. The first consist of one single conductor wire, normally insulated by
one or more dielectric materials, whilst the second comprise bundles of a
certain number of conductors independently insulated and coated with a
common dielectric.

All these factors and different possible layouts affect the characteristics of the
insulant the conductor must be protected with.

For the study, the simplest kind of cables available on the market have been
selected: single-pole cables used in domestic electrical installations with no
outer coating; i.e. those solely comprising the conductor and the insulant
produced from one single material.

2.1. Objective and calculation bases

This document presents an estimate of energy consumption and carbon

dioxide (CO2) emission attributable to the manufacture, use, recycling and final
waste disposal of cables used domestically, solely comprising the copper
conductor and the insulant, with no outer coating, and installed under
embedded tube, with insulant made of PVC, XLPE and PE with mineral charge.

This focus is based on the consideration of all the stages of a study of the Life
Cycle Assessment (LCA), although the scope focuses solely on the two aspects
indicated above. An LCA cannot be used to compare products with each
other, but rather services and/or product quantities carrying out the same
function.

In order to make it possible to produce an analysis enabling comparative results

to be obtained, the unit of assessment (the functional unit in an LCA study)

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

used was 1 m of single-pole cable with copper conductor for low-voltage

domestic electricity distribution.

Cables are classified according to the rated section of the conductor, which
indicates the maximum resistance of the cable at 20ºC (UNE-EN 60228). The
maximum admissible intensity the cable may conduct will depend on the rated
section, on its insulation type and on the type of installation. For multi-pole
cables, the layout and number of single-pole cables it comprises will also have
an influence (Low-voltage Electrotechnical Regulations; Royal Decree 842/2002
of the 2nd August 2002).

2.2. Contents of the document

A description is given of the stages comprising the life cycle of the cable, as
well as the calculation hypotheses and scenarios for the comparative analysis.
The magnitudes of the significant electrical consumption values are indicated,
as well as the energy sources defining the CO2 emission factors.

The results obtained are set out in detail and summary form. The estimates
obtained are analysed, identifying the alternatives with the lowest energy
consumption and CO2 emission values, in ascending order.

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

3. The life cycle of a cable

Figure 3.1 shows the typical life cycle of a cable, focusing on energy use and
the corresponding atmospheric emissions.

The first stage corresponds to extraction of the raw materials and supply of
materials for production of the cable.

The second stage consists of actual production of the cable, which will depend
on both the type of cable and on the materials used in its composition.

Next, the stages of installation and use of the cable are considered. It is
estimated that all the cables have a mean lifetime of 50 years.

Once the cable’s usage period has ended, it is dismantled and transported to
a recycling centre. The non-recyclable portion is sent to a final waste-disposal
management centre.

1,7 kg CO2 0,1 kg CO2 62,7 kg CO2

0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2
Transporte

EXTRACCIÓN
EXTRACTION OF PRODUCTION INSTALACIÓN
INSTALLATION USO USE
DE RECURSOS PRODUCCIÓN
RESOURCES AND OF CABLE
CABLE OF CABLE
CABLE vidaMean life
media
PRODUCCIÓN
PRODUCTION OF 50 50 years
años
MATERIALES
MATERIALS 0,03 kWh
0,03 kWh 0,03 kWh

0,2 kWh 0,1 kg CO2

2,3 kWh 141,6 kWh

97% 0,0 kg CO2

RECICLAJE
RECYCLING
Otros usos

0,0 kg CO2
0,4 kWh DISPOSICIÓN
FINAL
FINAL
DISPOSAL
Emisiones CO2
CO2 emissions
3%

0,01 kWh
Consumo energético
Energy consumption 0,01 kWh

Figure 3.1. Flowchart of the life cycle of a cable

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

4. Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emission attributable to 1 m of

cable for electricity distribution.

4.1. Calculation base

4.1.1. Dimensions

In order to produce comparable results, 1 m of single-pole cable was selected,

with copper conductor and insulant made of different materials.

4.1.2. Materials

The analysis focuses on the estimate of energy consumption and the

corresponding emissions of CO2 per metre of cable insulated with:

ƒ PVC
ƒ XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene)
ƒ PE with mineral charge

XLPE cable with PVC

PVC cable MDPE cable
coating
Figure 4.1. Commercial single-pole cables with insulant made of different materials

These materials were chosen because they are the most widely used as
insulants.

Specifically, the calculation base used was a copper cable 1 m in length, with
PVC insulation with a rated section of 35 mm2, which signifies that it can admit a
maximum intensity of 86 A (for the type of installation considered: embedded
under tube).

Cables insulated with XLPE or PE with mineral charge allow a temperature of

90ºC to be developed in the conductor, versus the 70ºC of PVC-insulated
cables. The maximum admissible intensities will increase in both types of cable
compared with the PVC. The comparative elements determined were
standardized cables presenting a maximum admissible intensity as close as
possible to that of the cable with PVC insulation taken as the reference
standard. In other words, XLPE cables and PE cables with mineral charge with a
rated section of 25 mm2, which will admit intensities of up to 96 A, 11% higher
than in the case of PVC (Martín, F, 2003).

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Cables comprising solely the conductor and the insulating layer are
considered, in order to simplify the comparative study, to avoid mixtures of
materials, which are common in more complex cables. However, in practice,
cables made of XLPE insulant are not usually available without coating, not
even for use in domestic electrical installations. In order to achieve as
representative a result as possible of actual circumstances, it was decided to
include a PVC coating in the XLPE cable.

4.1.3. Scenarios analysed

The following cases are analysed:

1) Cable with PVC insulant, no recycled PVC.

2) Cable with PVC insulant, with 25% recycled material.

3) Cable with XLPE (cross-linked) insulant, and PVC coating.

4) Cable with PE insulant with mineral charge, no recycled material.

5) Cable with PE insulant with mineral charge, with 25% recycled material.

All with copper conductor.

To size these cables, the reference taken was commercially available single-
pole cables with a rated section of 35 mm2 in the case of PVC, and a rated
section of 25 mm2 in the case of XLPE and PE with mineral charge.

Their basic characteristics are listed in Table 4.1.

Table 4.2 shows the electrical characteristics of the cable (maximum resistance
at 20 ºC and maximum admissible intensity) taken for reference purpose to
make the comparison and to select the different standard cables for each
material.

The weight calculated per metre of cable differs slightly from the commercial
weight specified by the sources consulted; to calculate this, the volumes
determined from the commercial dimensions were used, along with a standard
composition for each insulant, which is indicated in Table 4.3. It was considered
advisable to establish the specific weight of each cable this way, and not the
weight supplied in the commercial specifications, to give the study greater
generality and to prevent it being limited to the cable produced by any one
specific manufacturer.

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 Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Table 4.1. Characteristics of the cables selected.

Insulant
Outer Coating Tabulated
RS Outer thicknes
Insulant ∅ thickness weight Calculated weight (kg m-1)
(mm2) coating s
(mm) (mm) (kg m-1)
(mm)
Copper
insulant coating TOTAL
conductor
PVC 35 no 13.5 2.6 0.45 0.31 0.15 -- 0.46
XLPE 25 PVC 11.2 0.9 1.4 0.32 0.22 0.03 0.06 0.31
PE with
mineral 25 no 9.0 1.2 0.27 0.22 0.06 -- 0.28
charge
Sources selected for sizing of the cables:
PVC cable. Sintenax valio.
XLPE cable. Retenax valio.
PE cable with mineral charge. Afumex 750.
Prysmian.
(http://www.ar.prysmian.com/es_AR/cables_systems/energy/catalog_prices/catalog/catal_cat_
ar.jhtml, November 2005)

Table 4.2. Characteristics of the cables considered: maximum resistance at 20 ºC and

maximum admissible intensity.

Maximum resistance at 20 ºC Maximum admissible intensity

RS
Insulant (Ohm/km) (A)
(mm2)
Une EN 60228
PVC 35 0.524 86
XLPE 25 0.727 96
PE with mineral
25 0.727 96
charge

Table 4.3. Mean composition of the insulants of the standard cables considered

Rated Outer Material Insulant

Composition (% in
INSULANT section section density weight
(1) weight)
(mm2) (mm2) (kg m-3) (kg m-1)
PVC resin 45 1400
Ca carbonate 25 2700
Plasticizer
PVC 35 143.1 25 967 1400 0.15
(DIDP)
Lubricant,
stabilizer and 5 1400
others
LDPE 97 915
XLPE 25 98.5 Cross-linking 950 0.03
3 --
agent (silane)

LDPE 40 915
PE with mineral Aluminium
25 63.6 36 2420 1450 0.06
charge hydroxide
Magnesium
24 2360
hydroxide
(1). The mean composition of the different insulants was provided by Benvic.
(2). Excluding the PVC coating.
(3). Due to the difficulty of establishing the density of the silane compound used as the cross-
linking agent, the density of the commercial XLPE was considered; the following compound was
used as the standard case: LUTENE SP3450NT LG CHEM.

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

(http://www.chemwide.co.kr/product3/0matter/matter_type.jsp?prodSeq=26&locale=en&prodSelect=
98,93,99,91, November, 2005)
The use of recycled plastics for cable production is not a common situation at
present.

In the case of XLPE, recycling is not possible. With regard to PVC and PE with
mineral charge, they are usually separated out and recycled for other uses.
However, cases including 25% recycled material in the cable composition have
been included, as considerable efforts are being made in this direction, and it is
believed that use of them in the future could become commonplace.

4.2. Extraction and production of materials

Extraction and production of materials includes the energy required for

extraction of natural resources, transport to the factory and production of the
materials used in the cable, chiefly: PVC, XLPE, PE, charges such as basic
calcium carbonate or magnesium and aluminium hydroxides, plasticizers such
as DIDP, lubricants, flame-retardants and others, as well as the copper
conductor.

For the PVC, the energy consumption and CO2 emission presented in the
document “Estimate of the energy consumption and CO2 emission associated
with unit production of PVC” (Baldasano and Parra, 2005) have been used. The
values of the calculation criterion that considers the joint obtention of PVC and
caustic soda are used. The energy consumption for the manufacture of PVC is
7.2 kWh kg-1; and the associated CO2 emission factor is 0.3 kg CO2 kWh-1.

The cross-linked polyethylene and the polyethylene with mineral charge

include low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in their composition, for the estimate of
energy consumption associated with the production and the corresponding
CO2 emission, the values established in the ECO PROFILES of the European
Plastics Industry (APME, 2003) are used. These give a result of an energy
consumption of 7.3 kWh kg-1 and a CO2 emission of 0.2 kg CO2 kWh-1.

Cross-linked polyethylene, in addition to LDPE, usually includes around 3% silane

in weight, which assists the cross-linking process. In some cases, this additive can
be added during the polyethylene synthesis process, or subsequently, once
polymerization has taken place. In this case, given that the percentage of
silane added per kg of polyethylene is very insignificant, it has not been
considered in respect of the total, and the energy consumption for production
of the cross-linked polyethylene is similar to that for LDPE.

In the case of the mineral charge for the PVC, calcium carbonate, energy
consumption of 0.03 kWh kg-1 is estimated based on the data available in the
“Reference Document on BAT in the cement and lime manufacturing
industries” (IPPC, 2001). It is considered that the energy used is based on diesel,
and the emission is established at 0.3 kg CO2 kWh-1.

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

The energy consumption figures required to produce the magnesium and

aluminium hydroxides used as mineral charge for the PE were similar to those
required for production of the corresponding oxides, resulting in the
requirement of 3.9 kWh kg-1 for the alumina and 2.6 kWh kg-1 for the MgO. The
associated CO2 emissions in both these cases are 0.2 kg CO2 kWh-1 (Chemlink,
2005; US Department of Energy, 2003).

For the plasticizer DIDP, the energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated
with a standard phthalate ester were chosen, with the result of 7.1 kwh kg-1 and
0.3 kg CO2 kWh-1 (ECPI, 2001).

The energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the extraction and
supply of the remaining materials: lubricants, flame-retardants, etc., were similar
to the base of the insulant in each case (PVC, LDPE). It is considered that the
margin of error introduced by this approximation is not excessively large, given
that the contribution of these components in terms of weight is between 3%
and 5% of the total for the cable.

The extraction and supply of copper signifies an energy consumption of 4.7

kWh kg-1 (EPA, 2001) and associated CO2 emissions of 0.3 kg CO2 kWh-1,
considering fuel-oil, natural gas and electricity as the energy sources.

The energy consumption figures for the materials are summarized in Table 4.4.

Table 4.4 Energy consumption figures for extraction of natural resources and production
of materials.

Energy consumption
Material
(kWh kg-1) Source
PVC 7.19
(Baldasano and Parra, 2005)

Eco-profile Polyolefins (APME, 2004).

XLPE 7.29
Eco-profile Conversion processes for polyolefins
(APME, 2004)

US Department of Energy, 2001.

Al
3.92 http://www.secat.net/docs/resources/
Hydroxide US_Energy_Requirements_for_Aluminum_Production.pdf
September, 2005

Mg Chemlink Consultants
2.63
Hydroxide (http://www.chemlink.com.au/mag&oxide.htm,
September 2005)
Ca
0.06 Reference document on BAT in the cement and lime
Carbonate manufacturing industries (IPPC, 2001)

DIDP 7.10 ECO PROFILE of high volume commodity phthalate

esters (ECPI; 2001)

Copper 4.73 BREF non ferrous metal industry (EPA, 2001)

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

4.3. Production of the cable.

The process of manufacturing the cable, although it depends on the particular

type required, can be outlined in a stage of drawing, threading and stranding
the conductor, and the subsequent extrusion of the insulant around it.

The mean energy consumption of the production process was estimated in line
with the data obtained for a particular production company (Ascable (2002)),
giving the result of consumption of 0.36 kWh per kg of cable produced.

To estimate the CO2 emissions associated with this process, it was considered
that the energy sources used were electricity and diesel.

4.4. Installation and dismantling of the cable.

The process of installing cables in homes can be done in various ways;

specifically (as stipulated in ITC-BT-26 of the Low-voltage Electrotechnical
Regulation passed by ROYAL DECREE 842/2002 of the 2nd August; Spanish State
Gazette No. 224, Wednesday, 18th September) there are the following systems:

Embedded installations:

o Cables insulated under flexible tube

o Cables insulated under bendable tube

Surface installations:

o Cables insulated under bendable tube

o Cables insulated under rigid tube
o Cables insulated under enclosed protective duct
o Prefabricated ducting

The type of installation affects the maximum admissible intensity the cable may
conduct; in this case, the installation was taken as embedded under tube.

In any case, it is considered that the process of installing and dismantling or

removing the cable does not involve any major energy consumption.
Moreover, these consumption figures are similar for the different cable types
studied, and therefore negligible for a comparative analysis of results.

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

4.5. Use of the cable.

The energy consumption associated with the usage stage of the cable was
estimated taking energy losses consequent to heat dissipation through Joule
effect in the conductor into account. The resistance values for conductors
tabulated in UNE EN 60228 standard were used, and the maximum admissible
intensities were those indicated in the Low-voltage Electrotechnical Regulations
(REBT) (Royal Decree 842/2002 of the 2nd August 2002).

To calculate the energy losses, the mean lifetime of the cable was taken into
consideration, taken as 50 years for all the materials, assuming a usage time of
8 hours per day.

The circulating intensity considered was the same for the three types of cable,
taking half the maximum admissible intensities for reference, in this case 86 A,
corresponding to the cable with PVC insulation with rated section of 35 mm2.
This therefore signifies a circulating intensity of 43 A.

The heat losses through Joule effect are quantified according to equation Eq 1.

Q = I 2 ·R·t [Eq 1]

where Q is the energy dissipated (J), I is the circulating intensity (A), R the
resistance of the conductor (Ohm) and t the time considered (s).

The results obtained for energy consumption and CO2 emissions corresponding
to the usage stage of the cable are shown in Table 4.5. The relative importance
of this stage is 96-99%, for both energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

Table 4.5. Estimated energy consumption in the usage stage of the cable. Considering
heat losses through Joule effect.

Heat losses Heat losses

Max. through Joule through
RS Circulating Resistance
Material admissible effect Joule effect
(mm2) I (A) (ohm km-1)
I (A) (50 years) (50 years)
J m-1 kWh m-1
PVC 35 86 43 0.524 5.09 10 8 141.6
XLPE 25 96 43 0.727 7.07 108 196.4
PE with
mineral 25 96 43 0.727 7.07 108 196.4
charge

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Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

4.6. Recycling

It is assumed that 97% of the materials contained in the cable insulation are
recyclable, except in the case of the cross-linked polyethylene, which is
assumed to be sent entirely for final disposal. The remaining 3% consists of waste
materials which are deposited in a disposal site

Since the cables being considered are single-pole cables with just one material
as the insulant, they can be recycled by a mechanical process. In more
complex cables, which comprise different materials in the insulation, processes
with selective solvents normally have to be used, such as the Vinyloop process
for PVC.

To recycle the PVC and the polyethylene, an electricity consumption of 0.25

kWh kg-1 is used. The associated CO2 emissions are estimated by applying the
Spanish electrical mix, with a result of 0.4 kg CO2 kWh-1.

Cross-linked polyethylene is not recyclable, and it is therefore sent entirely for

final disposal after use.

It is assumed that the recycling process for copper signifies an energy saving of
75% with regard to the original production process (Secretary of State’s Office
for Energy, industrial development and small and medium-sized enterprises,
Ministry for the Economy, 2001), whereby this would signify consumption of 1.2
kWh kg-1. Considering that the energy sources are coal and electricity,
50%/50%, the emissions associated with the recycling process are 0.4 kg CO2 kg-
1.

4.7. Final disposal

Energy consumption of 0.16 kWh is assumed per kg of waste deposited in a

disposal site (Choate and Ferland, 2004). It is considered that the energy is 100%
diesel.

4.8. Transport

It is assumed that the transport connecting the different stages of the life cycle
is performed with cargo trucks which run on diesel, and which have an energy
demand of 0.00073 kWh km-1 kg-1 (WEC, 1998). This value is applicable to
Western Europe.

A mean distance of 100 km was considered for transport in all cases: transport
of materials to the production plant, transport of the cable to the installation
site, transport for recycling and for final disposal.

13
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

4.9. Emission factors

Table 4.6 shows the base CO2 emission factors used in each stage, according
to the composition or type of energy supply already indicated for each case.

Table 4.6. CO2 emission factors.

Emission factor
t C TJ-1
Energy source / fuel (IPCC, 1996) t CO2 TJ-1 t CO2 MWh-1
Spanish electrical mix 0.443*
PVC production at Hispavic - Vinilis (Martorell) 0.284*
XLPE production 1.7 0.233
PE production 1.7 0.270
DIDP production 1.8 0.257
Aluminium hydroxide production 0.225
Diesel / fuel-oil 20.2 74.1 0.267
Natural gas 15.3 56.1 0.202
Coal 26.2 96.1 0.346
* Deduced in the document: “Estimate of the energy consumption and CO2 emission associated
with unit production of PVC”, JM Baldasano and R. Parra. January 2005".
¶ Corresponds to the calculation criterion that considers the objective of joint obtention of PVC
and caustic soda.

14
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

5. Results and comparative analysis

The energy consumption and CO2 emission figures for each of the cases
studied are set out in tables 5.1 to 5.5, and in diagram form in figures 5.1 to 5.5.

Tables 5.6 and 5.7 show a summary of the results obtained for each of the
materials.

The stage of the life cycle which signifies the largest energy consumption and
the highest CO2 emissions into the atmosphere is use of the cable. A mean
lifetime of 50 years has been considered for all the cables, with use of 8 hours
per day, and the losses through Joule effect have been estimated, resulting in
a contribution of between 97% and 99% to the energy consumption and to the
CO2 emissions for all the cases.

Extraction and supply of materials signifies 2% of the energy consumption and

3% of the CO2 emissions for new PVC. This means that including recycled
material in the cable composition barely has any effect on the overall
calculation of energy requirements and CO2 emitted.

For the cases of cables with PE insulation with mineral charge and XLPE, the
importance of this stage is even less, not exceeding 1% of the total.

The cable presenting the best results from the viewpoint of the environmental
indicators considered is PVC with 25% recycled materials in its composition, with
energy consumption throughout the life cycle of 144 kWh m-1, and the
associated CO2 emission of 65 kg.

The new PVC cable considered consumes 145 kWh m-1 throughout the life
cycle, and signifies emissions of 65 kg of CO2.

The polyethylene cables with mineral charge (with and without recycled
material) and the cross-linked polyethylene cable signify consumption of 198
kWh m-1 and 199 kWh m-1 respectively, and emission of 88 kg of CO2.

15
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Table 5.1. Energy consumption and CO2 emission estimates for the different life cycle
stages of 1 m of RS 35 mm2 single-pole cable with copper conductor and PVC insulant.

Energy
CO2 emissions (kg
consumption % %
CO2 m-1)
(kWh m-1)
Extraction and supply of materials 2.29 1.59 1.70 2.63
Transport of materials to the
0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01
production plant
Production of the cable 0.17 0.11 0.07 0.11
Transport of the cable for
0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01
installation
Installation 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Use 141.57 97.95 62.69 96.97
Dismantling 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Transport to recycling 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01
Recycling 0.37 0.26 0.15 0.23
Transport to final disposal 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00
Final disposal 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01
TOTAL 144.53 100.00 64.65 100.00

Table 5.2. Energy consumption and CO2 emission estimates for the different life cycle
stages of 1 m of RS 35 mm2 single-pole cable with copper conductor and PVC insulant,
with 25% recycled PVC in the insulant.

Energy
CO2 emissions (kg
consumption % %
CO2 m-1)
(kWh m-1)
Extraction and supply of materials 2.17 1.50 1.67 2.58
Transport of materials to the
0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01
production plant
Production of the cable 0.17 0.11 0.07 0.11
Transport of the cable for
0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01
installation
Installation 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Use 141.57 98.04 62.69 97.03
Dismantling 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Transport to recycling 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01
Recycling 0.37 0.26 0.15 0.23
Transport to final disposal 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00
Final disposal 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01
TOTAL 144.40 100.00 64.61 100.00

16
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Table 5.3. Energy consumption and CO2 emission estimates for the different life cycle
stages of 1 m of RS 25 mm2 single-pole cable with copper conductor and XLPE insulant,
with PVC coating.

Energy
CO2 emissions (kg
consumption % %
CO2 m-1)
(kWh m-1)
Extraction and supply of materials 1.70 0.86 0.50 0.57
Transport of materials to the
0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
production plant
Production of the cable 0.11 0.06 0.05 0.06
Transport of the cable for
0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
installation
Installation 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Use 196.41 98.91 86.98 99.23
Dismantling 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Transport to recycling 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
Recycling 0.25 0.13 0.10 0.11
Transport to final disposal 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00
Final disposal 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.00
TOTAL 198.57 100.00 87.66 100.00

Table 5.4. Energy consumption and CO2 emission estimates for the different life cycle
stages of 1 m of RS 25 mm2 single-pole cable with copper conductor and PE insulant,
with mineral charge.

Energy
CO2 emissions (kg
consumption % %
CO2 m-1)
(kWh m-1)
Extraction and supply of materials 1.33 0.67 0.39 0.45
Transport of materials to the
0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
production plant
Production of the cable 0.10 0.05 0.04 0.05
Transport of the cable for
0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
installation
Installation 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Use 196.41 99.11 86.98 99.36
Dismantling 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Transport to recycling 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
Recycling 0.26 0.13 0.10 0.12
Transport to final disposal 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Final disposal 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00
TOTAL 198.17 100.00 87.54 100.00

17
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Table 5.5. Energy consumption and CO2 emission estimates for the different life cycle
stages of 1 m of RS 25 mm2 single-pole cable with copper conductor and PE insulant
with mineral charge, with 25% recycled PE.

Energy
CO2 emissions (kg
consumption % %
CO2 m-1)
(kWh m-1)
Extraction and supply of materials 1.29 0.65 0.38 0.44
Transport of materials to the
0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
production plant
Production of the cable 0.10 0.05 0.04 0.05
Transport of the cable for
0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
installation
Installation 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Use 196.41 99.13 86.98 99.37
Dismantling 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Transport to recycling 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
Recycling 0.26 0.13 0.10 0.12
Transport to final disposal 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Final disposal 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00
TOTAL 198.13 100.00 87.53 100.00

1,7 kg CO2 0,1 kg CO2 62,7 kg CO2

0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2
Transporte

EXTRACCIÓN INSTALACIÓN USO

DE RECURSOS PRODUCCIÓN
CABLE CABLE vida media
PRODUCCIÓN 50 años
MATERIALES 0,03 kWh
0,03 kWh 0,03 kWh

0,2 kWh 0,1 kg CO2

2,3 kWh 141,6 kWh

97% 0,0 k
RECICLAJE
Otros usos

0,0 kg CO2
0,4 kWh DISPOS
FINA
Emisiones CO2
3%

0,01 kWh
Consumo energético
0,01 k

Figure 5.1. Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the life
cycle of single-pole cables for electricity distribution with PVC insulant.

18
 Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

1,7 kg CO2 0,1 kg CO2 62,7 kg CO2

0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2
Transporte

EXTRACCIÓN INSTALACIÓN USO

DE RECURSOS PRODUCCIÓN
CABLE CABLE vida media
PRODUCCIÓN 50 años
MATERIALES 0,03 kWh
0,03 kWh 0,03 kWh

0,2 kWh 0,1 kg CO2

2,2 kWh 141,6 kWh

97% 0,0 k
RECICLAJE
Otros usos

0,0 kg CO2
0,4 kWh DISPOS
FINA
Emisiones CO2
3%

0,01 kWh
Consumo energético
0,01 k

Figure 5.2. Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the life
cycle of single-pole cables for electricity distribution with PVC insulant, with 25%
recycled material in the composition.

0,5 kg CO2 0,05 kg CO2 87,0 kg CO2

0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2
Transporte

EXTRACCIÓN INSTALACIÓN USO

DE RECURSOS PRODUCCIÓN
CABLE CABLE vida media
PRODUCCIÓN 50 años
MATERIALES 0,02 kWh
0,02 kWh 0,02 kwh

0,1 kWh 0,1 kg CO2

1,7 kWh 196,4 kWh

97% 0,0 kg CO2

RECICLAJE
Otros usos

0,0 kg CO2
0,3 kWh DISPOSICIÓN
FINAL
Emisiones CO2
3%

0,01 kWh
Consumo energético
0,01 kWh

Figure 5.3 Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the life cycle of single-
pole cables for electricity distribution with XLPE insulant

19
 Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

0,4 kg CO2 0,04 kg CO2 87,0 kg CO2

0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2
Transporte

EXTRACCIÓN INSTALACIÓN USO

DE RECURSOS PRODUCCIÓN
CABLE CABLE vida media
PRODUCCIÓN 50 años
MATERIALES 0,02 kWh
0,02 kWh 0,02 kwh

0,1 kWh 0,1 kg CO2

1,3 kWh 196,4 kWh

97% 0,0 kg CO2

RECICLAJE
Otros usos

0,0 kg CO2
0,3 kWh DISPOSICIÓN
Emisiones CO2 FINAL

3%

0,0 kWh
Consumo energético
0,01 kWh

Figure 5.4. Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the life cycle of
single-pole cables for electricity distribution with PE insulant with mineral charge

0,4 kg CO2 0,04 kg CO2 87,0 kg CO2

0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2 0,01 kg CO2
Transporte

EXTRACCIÓN INSTALACIÓN USO

DE RECURSOS PRODUCCIÓN
CABLE CABLE vida media
PRODUCCIÓN 50 años
MATERIALES 0,02 kWh
0,02 kWh 0,02 kwh

0,1 kWh 0,1 kg CO2

1,3 kWh 196,4 kWh

97% 0,0
RECICLAJE
Otros usos

0,0 kg CO2
0,3 kWh DISPO
Emisiones CO2 FIN

3%

0,0 kWh
Consumo energético
0,01

Figure 5.5 Estimate of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the life
cycle of single-pole cables for electricity distribution with PE insulant with mineral
charge, with 25% recycled material in the composition.

20
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Table 5.6. Summary of energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with each of the life cycle stages of cables with insulants made of
different materials.

XLPE (with PE with mineral

PVC with New PE with
New PVC PVC charge RS25
Energy consumption (kWh m-1) 25% recycled mineral charge
RS35 coating) 25% recycled
material RS35 RS25
RS25 material
Extraction and supply of materials 2.3 2.2 1.7 1.3 1.3
Transport of materials to the production plant 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Production of the cable 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1
Transport of the cable for installation 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Use of the cable 141.6 141.6 196.4 196.4 196.4
Transport of used cable for recycling 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Recycling 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3
Transport for final disposal in waste disposal site 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Final disposal in waste disposal site 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
TOTAL 144.5 144.4 198.6 198.2 198.1

XLPE (with PE with mineral

PVC with New PE with
New PVC PVC charge RS25
CO2 emissions (kg CO2 m-1) 25% recycled mineral charge
RS35 coating) 25% recycled
material RS35 RS25
RS25 material
Extraction and supply of materials 1.7 1.7 0.5 0.4 0.4
Transport of materials to the production plant 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Production of the cable 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0
Transport of the cable for installation 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Use of the cable 62.7 62.7 87.0 87.0 87.0
Transport of used cable for recycling 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Recycling 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Transport for final disposal in waste disposal site 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Final disposal in waste disposal site 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
TOTAL 64.6 64.6 87.7 87.5 87.5

1
 Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Table 5.7. Energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with the life cycle of single-pole cables with copper conductor and insulation
made of different materials. Summary.

% variation % variation
Conductor Energy
Conductor Outer Insulant PVC Maximum CO2 energy CO2
RS Weight resistance consumpti
1 m of single-pole cable diameter diameter thicknes coating admissible emissions consumed emission
(mm ) (kg m )
2 -1 at 20ºC on
(mm) (mm) s (mm) (mm) intensity (A) (kg CO2 m-1) compared compared
(ohm km-1) (kWh m-1)
with PVC with PVC
PVC with 25% recycled material 35 0.5 8.3 13.5 2.6 no 86 0.524 144.4 64.6 -0.1 -0.1
PVC 35 0.5 8.3 13.5 2.6 no 86 0.524 144.5 64.6 0.0 0.0
PE with mineral charge with 25%
25 0.3 6.6 9.0 1.2 no 96 0.727 198.1 87.5 37.1 35.4
recycled material
PE with mineral charge 25 0.3 6.6 9.0 1.2 no 96 0.727 198.2 87.5 37.1 35.4
XLPE 25 0.3 6.6 11.2 0.9 2.8 96 0.727 198.6 87.7 37.4 35.6

2
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

6. Conclusions

Single-pole cables with copper conductor and insulant comprising just one
material, normally used in domestic electrical installations, have been studied.

The standard case taken for the study was a cable with PVC insulant and rated
section of 35 mm2. The maximum admissible intensity this type of cable can
withstand is 86 A.

The elements for comparison selected were cables with cross-linked XLPE and
PE with mineral charge, as these are the materials most commonly used.
Cables with dimensions allowing a maximum admissible voltage as close as
possible to that for the PVC cable were considered, pursuant to the provisions
of the Low-voltage Electrotechnical Regulations; in both cases, these are
cables with a rated section of 25 mm2, admitting a maximum intensity of 96 A,
11% higher than the standard case.

The energy consumption and CO2 emission figures associated with each of the
stages of the life cycle of these three types of cable were estimated, taking 1 m
of cable as the unit of assessment.

In the case of the PVC and the PE with mineral charge, the option of including
25% recycled materials in the cable composition was contemplated, although
at present the use of recycled raw materials is not habitual. Cross-linked
polyethylene is not usually submitted to recycling processes because of its
structure, and this option has therefore not been considered.

The cross-linked polyethylene cable considered has a PVC coating, as it was

noted that single-pole XLPE cables without a coating in different materials are
not commonly available on the market.

The determinant stage for the energy consumption and CO2 emissions during
the life cycle of the cable is the usage stage. The energy losses through Joule
effect were estimated over a mean lifetime of 50 years, with 8 hours use per
day, signifying between 97 and 99% of the total consumption and emissions.

The cable presenting the best results from the viewpoint of the environmental
indicators considered is PVC with 25% recycled material in its composition.
Including 25% recycled PVC and copper in the cable composition signifies a
negligible energy saving: 0.1% compared with use of totally new materials. The
CO2 emissions are reduced by the same proportion.

1
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

Next come the cable insulated with PE with mineral charge, including 25%
recycled materials in its composition, and the PE cable with mineral charge
without recycled materials (with 37% more energy demand and 35% more CO2
emissions into the atmosphere than the new PVC cable).

Last come the XLPE cables, with 37% higher energy consumption than the PVC
cable taken as the standard case.

The results obtained for the PE cable with mineral charge and the XLPE cable
are practically identical (differences in the region of 1% energy consumption
per metre of cable).

It should be born in mind that using 25% recycled materials in production of the
cable barely varies the results for either the PVC or the polyethylene with
mineral charge.

2
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

7. References

1 APME, 2004. Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe,

(http://www.apme.org/, October 2004).

2 Ascable (2002). Declaración medioambiental 2001-2002.

(http://www.ascable.com, July 2005)

3 Baldasano, J.M., Parra, R. (2005). Estimación del consumo energético y de

la emisión de CO2 asociados a la producción unitaria de PVC. Estudio de la
planta de Hispavic - Vinilis en Martorell (España).

4 Chemlink Consultants, 2005. http://www.chemlink.com.au/mag&oxide.htm,

September 2005

5 Choate, A. , Ferland, H. Waste Management and Energy Savings: Benefits

by the Numbers. U.S. EPA. (http://yosemite.epa.gov, December 2004)

6 WEC (2004). Total Energy Use Characteristics, of Global Transport and Energy
Development: The Scope for Change, WEC. (http://www.worldenergy.org,
December 2004)

7 ECPI; 2001. ECO PROFILE of high volume commodity phthalate esters. ECPI.
European Council for Plasticizers and Intermediates.

8 ECO PROFILES of the European plastics industry. (2003). APME (Association of

Plastics Manufacturers (PlasticsEurope)), Brussels

9 Martín, F. (2003). Nuevo Manual de Instalaciones eléctricas. Según el Nuevo

Reglamento electrotécnico de Baja Tensión. Ediciones A. Madrid Vicente.
Madrid.

10 IPPC (2001) Reference document on BAT in the cement and lime

manufacturing industries. (http://www.eula.be/, October 2005)

11 Secretaría de Estado de energía, desarrollo industrial y de la pequeña y

mediana empresa. Ministerio de Economía (2003). Estrategia de ahorro y
eficiencia energética en España 2004-2012, 5.3 subsector metalurgia no
férrea. (http://www6.mityc.es, September 2005)

12 EPA, 2001. BREF on non ferrous metals industry.

(http://www.epa.ie/Licensing/IPPCLicensing/BREFDocuments/, September
2005)

13 US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 2003.

“U.S. Energy Requirements for Aluminum Production: Historical Perspective,
Theoretical Limits and New Opportunities”
http://www.secat.net/docs/resources/US_Energy_Requirements_for_Aluminu
m_Production.pdf, September 2005

3
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

(see translation of the table in the next page).

4
Energy consumption and CO2 emission; production, use and final disposal of PVC, XLPE and PE cables with mineral charge

TABLE XIV – 4
MAXIMUM ADMISSIBLE INTENSITIES IN AMPERES FOR INSULATED COPPER CONDUCTORS

INSTALLATION
UNDER EMBEDDED SINGLE-POLE CONDUCTORS MULTI-POLE CONDUCTORS
TUBE
2 1
TWO-POLE

SINGLE-POLE TWO-POLE
TYPE OF CONDUCTOR
BY DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE: TABLE FC-1
TEMPERATURE OF CONDUCTORS: (PVC) 70ºC (XLPE) AND (EPR) 90ºC

BY GROUPING: TABLE FC-5

RATED SECTION (mm2)

AMBIENT TEMPERATURE: 40ºC

CORRECTION FACTORS:

ETHYLENE PROPYLENE

ETHYLENE PROPYLENE
POLYVINYL CHLORIDE

POLYVINYL CHLORIDE
POLYETHYLENE

POLYETHYLENE
CROSS-LINKED

CROSS-LINKED

TYPE OF INSULATION