Transgrid initiative to cut 90% emissions from conductor recycling

In an Australian first, Transgrid has partnered with German manufacturing firm ZECK to deploy their ZECK Al/Steel Separator (ZAS) to recycle conductors in Western Sydney, an initiative forecast to cut 90% in emissions.

Previously, used conductors had to be shipped overseas to have their outer aluminium layer removed to enable the entire line to be recycled but the ZAS system allows it to be done onsite.

The Australian TSO will be feeding conductors into the ZAS machine under tension. The outer aluminium layer will be removed and cut into 30-70mm pieces which are collected into large bags ready to be smelted into new products. Undamaged steel cores will be wound onto a cable drum at the other end, ready for recycling.

By using the technology Transgrid can cut 90% of emissions involved in recycling conductors.

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Field Coordinator Mitch Coppock, based in Newcastle, pitched the idea to Transgrid to use the system: “Everyone wins out of this solution. For Transgrid we can get a much higher return on the conductor as compared to current processes, the environment wins with reduced emissions and local businesses benefit too as they get readily available and processed aluminium.

“By eliminating the cost of offshore processing, Transgrid can achieve a return of three times on scrap metal rates of up to three dollars a kilogram.”

Over the next three to five years, the initiative is forecast to deliver upwards of AUD2 to AUD3 million ($1.4 – $2 million) in extra revenue from recycling.

“The trial has been successful so far. In under two weeks, we’ve run about 40km of conductors through the machine, yielding about a kilogram of aluminium per metre of conductor,” added Coppock.