The Japanese Electric Wire & Cable Maker's Association established the most appropriate current for power cables with economy (LCC) and environment (LC-CO₂) in mind (ECSO current) as one of　the Japanese Cable Makers' Association　Standards (JCSs). The ECSO current is intended for low-voltage CVT cables used commonly in factories and buildings. In addition，a questionnaire and interview with persons who are involved in the design of electric facilities in factories and buildings were conducted to investigate the daily load curve，annual number of operation days，demand factor，duty factor，distribution of cable line length，and other cable usage conditions. According to the investigation results，the authors have estimated reductions in distribution losses and CO₂ emissions when all low-voltage CVT cables in sites of consumers (factories and buildings) in Japan (1,830 thousand km) are switched to those with upsized conductors based on the “ECSO current table.”The estimation has revealed that the total annual reduction in distribution losses in Japan is 210 hundred million kW･h，which is the equivalent of the output of 4 one-million kW-class large power plants (53 hundred million kW･h per plant (60% operation) ). It has also found that the total annual reduction in CO₂ emissions in Japan is 11.6 million tons，which is determined by subtracting an increase in CO₂ emissions resulting from the increased copper production. This accounts for 0.9% of 1,261 million tons，which is the total CO₂ emissions in Japan in the base year (the year 1990) of the Kyoto Protocol. Japan has been considering various measures for further reduction of CO₂ emissions even after the fulfillment of the commitment to 6% CO₂ reduction described in the Kyoto Protocol. Since upsizing low-voltage CVT cable conductors can be expected to reduce the total CO₂ emissions in Japan of 0.9%, it is one possible effective measure.

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