UK electrical superhighway to be made using 100% recycled copper

Scotland to England cable uses 10,000 tonnes of recycled copper

The UK’s largest electricity transmission project now under construction will use entirely recycled copper for its subsea cables. Eastern Green Link 2 connects Peterhead in Scotland to Drax in North Yorkshire through 436 kilometres of underwater cable and 69 kilometres of underground line. The project sets a precedent for sustainable infrastructure at scale.

National Grid Electricity Transmission and SSEN Transmission are delivering the scheme as a joint venture. When operational in 2029, the link will carry 2GW of power. That’s enough capacity to supply two million homes with renewable energy generated in Scotland.

The cable manufacturer Prysmian will install 10,000 tonnes of La Farga Genius copper rod. This material is certified as 100% recycled through an Environmental Product Declaration that guarantees full traceability. Consequently, this marks the first time a high-voltage direct current cable of this scale has been built without any newly mined copper.

Ofgem’s Sustainability Innovation Fund enabled the purchase of recycled copper. The fund supports projects that reduce environmental impact across the UK’s energy network. Moreover, the recycled copper decision will avoid approximately 56,675 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions. That’s comparable to taking 39,900 cars off UK roads for a year.

Why recycled copper matters for energy infrastructure

Copper recycling saves up to 85% of the energy required to mine and process new material. The metal retains all its conductive properties regardless of how many times it’s recycled. For energy transmission projects, this means no performance compromise.

Europe already sources 41% of its copper from recycled material. Globally, the figure stands at 34%. However, Eastern Green Link 2 is the first major high-voltage direct current project to use exclusively recycled copper in its cables.

The UK holds substantial copper reserves in discarded electronics and cables. According to research by Recycle Your Electricals, 1.3 billion unused or discarded electrical items sit in UK homes. This includes 627 million cables containing £266 million worth of copper. That volume could provide 30% of the copper needed for future green infrastructure projects.

Demand for copper continues to rise as the UK builds out renewable energy capacity. Transmission networks must expand significantly to connect offshore wind farms and solar installations to demand centres. Each new project requires substantial copper volumes for cabling and electrical equipment.

How the Eastern Green Link 2 project works

The transmission link spans 505 kilometres in total. It runs from a converter station at Peterhead through the North Sea, making landfall on England’s east coast before continuing underground to Drax. The system operates at 525kV using high-voltage direct current technology.

Hitachi Energy and BAM are supplying two HVDC Light converter stations. These facilities convert alternating current to direct current for efficient long-distance transmission, then back to alternating current at the delivery point. The technology reduces transmission losses over long distances compared to traditional AC systems.

Construction began in 2024. Work is progressing on both onshore and offshore elements. The underground cable route and converter station construction are already underway. Meanwhile, cable manufacturing continues at Prysmian’s facilities using the recycled copper feedstock.

The project will create the longest high-voltage direct current link in the UK. It forms part of a wider programme to connect Scotland’s renewable energy resources to population centres in England. Other transmission upgrades are planned across the network to support the UK’s 2030 clean power targets.

Carbon savings from material choices

Prysmian’s use of recycled copper delivers a 13% reduction in carbon footprint across its scope of work on Eastern Green Link 2. This calculation accounts for avoided mining emissions, reduced processing energy, and lower transport impacts from using European recycled material rather than newly mined copper from overseas sources.

The 56,675 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent avoided equals the annual emissions from 17,700 homes in the East Riding of Yorkshire. It demonstrates that material selection in major infrastructure can deliver measurable climate benefits alongside functional performance.

Traditional copper mining involves significant environmental disruption. Open-pit mines require large land areas and generate substantial waste rock. Processing ore into pure copper demands intensive energy input, typically from fossil fuel sources in mining regions. Furthermore, transporting raw copper across continents adds shipping emissions.

Recycled copper avoids these impacts entirely. The material comes from collected scrap electronics, building wire, and industrial equipment. Processing plants melt and refine the scrap into high-purity copper rod. The resulting product meets identical technical specifications to mined copper.

La Farga’s Environmental Product Declaration provides verified data on the material’s lifecycle impacts. Unlike mass-balance certification approaches, the EPD confirms that every tonne of copper rod supplied for Eastern Green Link 2 originated from recycled sources. This traceability matters for projects making sustainability claims.

What this means for UK businesses and supply chains

Eastern Green Link 2 proves that major infrastructure projects can specify recycled materials without technical risk. For businesses tendering for public sector contracts, this sets expectations. Procurement teams increasingly require suppliers to demonstrate sustainable material sourcing and provide carbon footprint data.

Companies in construction, manufacturing, and engineering should expect similar requirements in future projects. The precedent established by Eastern Green Link 2 will influence specifications across energy, transport, and built environment sectors. Businesses that develop recycled material supply chains now will be better positioned for upcoming opportunities.

Regulatory pressure is increasing too. The government’s net zero strategy requires emissions reductions across all economic sectors. Construction and infrastructure contribute approximately 10% of UK carbon emissions. Material choices represent a direct lever for reducing this footprint.

Supply chain transparency will become standard practice. Clients and procurement teams want verified data, not general sustainability claims. Environmental Product Declarations and similar third-party certifications provide the evidence base that satisfies due diligence requirements. Businesses should familiarize themselves with these standards.

For SMEs involved in electrical installation, building services, or component supply, understanding recycled content specifications is increasingly important. Tender documents may soon include minimum recycled content thresholds. Suppliers who can demonstrate compliance through certified products will have competitive advantages.

The skills gap poses challenges too. Teams need to understand material traceability, carbon accounting, and lifecycle assessment. Training in these areas helps businesses respond effectively to client requirements and regulatory changes. It also supports better decision-making around material selection and supplier evaluation.

Key facts about the transmission project

• Eastern Green Link 2 will transport 2GW of renewable electricity from Scotland to England when operational in 2029, enough to power two million homes.
• The project uses 10,000 tonnes of 100% recycled copper certified through Environmental Product Declarations guaranteeing full traceability from source to cable.
• Recycled copper saves up to 85% of the energy required for mining and processing new copper while maintaining identical electrical performance characteristics.
• The material choice avoids 56,675 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions, comparable to removing 39,900 cars from UK roads for one year.
• UK households currently hold 627 million unused cables containing enough copper to supply 30% of the material needed for future green infrastructure projects.
• The 505-kilometre transmission link comprises 436 kilometres of subsea cable and 69 kilometres of underground cable connecting Peterhead to Drax.

Circular economy principles in practice

This project demonstrates circular economy thinking applied to critical national infrastructure. Instead of extracting new resources, it recovers value from existing material flows. The approach reduces both environmental impact and resource dependency.

UK businesses face growing pressure to adopt circular principles. Government policy increasingly favours designs that enable reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling. Extended producer responsibility regulations are expanding across product categories. Waste reduction targets continue to tighten.

For manufacturers, designing products with end-of-life recovery in mind becomes essential. This means avoiding mixed materials that can’t be separated, using standard fixings rather than adhesives, and marking material types clearly. These choices determine whether products become future resources or landfill waste.

Service-based business models offer another route. Leasing equipment rather than selling it outright keeps ownership with the manufacturer. This creates incentives to design for durability and enables systematic recovery of components at end of life. Several sectors are exploring these models, particularly in electronics and industrial equipment.

The copper example is instructive because the material economics work without subsidy. Recycled copper costs less than mined copper in most market conditions. Environmental benefits align with financial ones. Businesses should look for similar opportunities where sustainable choices also make commercial sense.

Nevertheless, recycled materials aren’t always straightforward substitutes. Supply chains may be less mature. Volumes can be constrained. Quality assurance requires different approaches. Businesses need to work closely with suppliers to verify specifications and ensure reliable delivery. This takes time and relationship building.

Eastern Green Link 2 benefited from Ofgem’s Sustainability Innovation Fund, which covered the incremental costs and risks of pioneering recycled copper at this scale. As the approach becomes proven, these support mechanisms become less necessary. Early adopters help establish the technical precedents that enable wider uptake.

Additional information sources

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero publishes the government’s strategy for expanding electricity transmission capacity to support renewable energy deployment. Their official guidance covers network planning and infrastructure investment frameworks.

Ofgem regulates the UK’s energy networks and administers funding mechanisms like the Sustainability Innovation Fund. Their website provides detailed information on network regulation, innovation funding, and sustainability requirements for transmission projects.

National Grid publishes technical specifications and project updates for major transmission schemes including Eastern Green Link 2. Their project information includes route maps, construction schedules, and stakeholder consultation materials.

For businesses looking to improve their understanding of carbon accounting and sustainable procurement practices, our compliance support services help SMEs navigate reporting requirements and supply chain sustainability standards.