Copper-clad steel, an alternative to copper, will be used for the grounding wire in the construction of the Bishop Hills Wind Farm, a 130-turbine project located in Henry County, Ill.Â
CommScope, the company providing the 1.7 million feet of copper-clad steel to the project, says that the copper alternative is increasingly in demand by utilities for its cost-efficiency and anti-theft characteristics.Â
According to CommScope, copper-clad steel provides a reliable alternative to the use of solid and stranded copper for grounding applications. The material is specifically designed to disperse fault currents and lightning strikes at a lower total cost of ownership compared to pure copper, the company adds.
