IEC 62125:2019

IEC 62125 ®
Edition 1.0 2019-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Environmental considerations specific to insulated electrical power and control
cables
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IEC 62125 ®
Edition 1.0 2019-09
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Environmental considerations specific to insulated electrical power and control

cables
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 29.060.20 ISBN 978-2-8322-7374-6

– 2 – IEC 62125:2019 © IEC 2019
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms, definitions and symbols. 7
3.1 Terms and definitions . 7
3.2 Symbols . 9
4 General principles . 11
5 Environmental checklist approach. 11
5.1 What is the checklist approach? . 11
5.2 Checklist . 12
6 Life cycle assessment (LCA) of cables . 12
6.1 General . 12
6.2 Goal and scope . 13
6.2.1 LCA study goal . 13
6.2.2 Functional unit . 13
6.2.3 Reference flow . 14
6.2.4 System boundary . 14
6.2.5 Cut-off criteria . 15
6.2.6 Assumptions and limitations . 15
6.3 Life cycle inventory (LCI) . 15
6.3.1 General . 15
6.3.2 Data collection . 15
6.3.3 Data selection. 16
6.3.4 Allocation procedure . 16
6.4 Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) . 16
6.5 Interpretation . 17
6.6 Single environmental indicator approach . 17
7 Environmental and energy cost-based conductor size optimization – ECSO . 18
7.1 Overview. 18
7.2 Basic rules . 18
7.3 Factors . 20
7.4 CO evaluation . 20
7.4.1 General . 20
7.4.2 CO emissions during manufacturing, transportation, installation and
final disposal . 20
7.4.3 CO emissions at the use phase . 20
7.5 Calculation method . 20
7.5.1 General . 20
7.5.2 Calculation of initial cost . 20
7.5.3 Calculation of running costs . 21
7.5.4 Conductor resistance . 21
7.5.5 Optimum current . 21
7.5.6 Optimum conductor size . 22
7.5.7 Energy reduction related to the use phase of the cable . 22
7.6 Example. 23

8 Environment-related communication . 24
8.1 General . 24
8.2 General principles . 24
8.3 Composition and compliancy to legislation on substances . 25
8.4 Life cycle assessment . 25
8.5 End of life . 25
Annex A (informative) Checklist for the checklist approach . 26
A.1 Preliminary considerations . 26
A.2 Design considerations . 26
A.3 Production considerations . 26
A.4 Considerations for use and end of life phase . 27
Annex B (informative) Example for ECSO . 28
B.1 General . 28
B.2 Cable data . 28
B.3 Calculation condition . 28
B.4 Initial cost . 29
B.4.1 Initial investment . 29
B.4.2 Conversion of CO emissions during material/cable production, removal,
transportation and disposal to cost . 29
B.4.3 Initial cost (sum) . 29
B.4.4 Conductor resistance . 30
B.5 Calculation of running costs . 30
B.5.1 Costs for Joule losses during anticipated life time . 30
B.5.2 Costs for CO emission during anticipated life time . 30
B.6 Life cycle cost . 31
B.7 Optimum current . 31
B.8 Efficiency . 32
B.8.1 Calculation of energy efficiency . 32
B.9 Life cycle cost versus service life . 33
Annex C (informative) Example of environmental communication . 34
Bibliography . 35

Figure 1 – Life cycle phases . 13
Figure 2 – Life cycle costs for conductor size for a certain current . 19
Figure 3 – Optimum current range for minimizing life cycle cost . 19

Table B.1 – Life cycle cost versus service life . 33
Table B.2 – Life cycle cost versus service life, relative to 3C 70 mm . 33

– 4 – IEC 62125:2019 © IEC 2019
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS SPECIFIC TO
INSULATED ELECTRICAL POWER AND CONTROL CABLES

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
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3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sens
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