In recent years, the continuous rise in copper prices has brought enormous cost pressure to the air conditioning industry. The scarcity and high price of copper resources have become important factors restricting the competitive advantage of the air conditioning industry. In late May 2024, while copper prices reached a historical record of nearly 90000 yuan/ton, aluminum prices also hit a new historical high, but only just surpassed 21000 yuan/ton. The difference between the two is too large, and the call for "replacing copper with aluminum" is increasingly growing. In fact, with the continuous advancement of technology, the aluminum industry has achieved mature "aluminum instead of copper" substitution solutions in multiple application fields, with good technical support and industrialization foundation. For example, refrigerators in the home appliance industry have basically achieved aluminum instead of copper many years ago. According to the White Paper on Aluminum Applications, as early as 2007, the aluminum usage rate of condenser and evaporator in Chinese refrigerators reached 80%.
In fact, aluminum, as a lightweight metal with a density about one-third that of copper, is more suitable for achieving lightweight design. While significantly reducing the overall weight of household appliances, it also reduces the energy consumption required for air conditioning and other refrigeration equipment during operation, thereby reducing users' electricity costs. In addition, air conditioners often encounter erosion from various chemical substances during operation, such as oxygen and moisture in the air. Aluminum materials, due to their excellent corrosion resistance, can effectively reduce the occurrence of such situations and improve the reliability and stability of products. We should view the market development of "aluminum replacing copper" fairly and objectively, and with the joint efforts of the government, research institutes, enterprises and other parties, find breakthroughs in technological innovation and take an important "ice breaking journey".