10. Comparingpricesbetweentechnologies

Severalsources(PreservedWood,MichiganTech 24,CreosoteCouncil)agreethatwoodpoles have the lowest ex-factory price, while steel poles cost more (+25% or so) and fiberglass poles costthree times more

When transportation costs are added, steel poles are more expensive and, when delivered totheinstallationsite,theycostbetween70and100%morethanwoodpoles.Concretepoles costtwice asmuchaswoodpoles andfiberglass poles cost2.5times asmuch

Apaper 25 presented atCIRED 26 2011 gives slightlydifferentratios:

- cast concrete spun poles cost twice as much as wood poles, cast concrete about thesameaswoodpoles;whilesteelpolescostfourtimesasmuchaswoodpoles.

- butaTCOapproach 27 (i.e.includingend-of-lifecosts)givesaslightadvantagetocast concrete spun poles over wood poles; finally, cast concrete poles cost about 20% more andsteel poles three times more

The TCO approach is not widely used, but it provides a more complete picture of the economic commitmentmadewhenchoosingapole technology.

24 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/304089802_Age-Dependent_Fragility_and_LifeCycle_Cost_Analysis_of_Timber_and_Steel_Distribution_Poles_Subjected_to_Hurricanes

25 http://www.cired.net/publications/cired2011/part1/papers/CIRED2011_0392_final.pdf

26 InternationalCenter for RechearchonEnvironmentandDevelopment

27 TotalCostofOwnership.

11. Evolutionofsomemarketexamples

Originally, all electric utility poles were made of wood. It is interesting to note that some countries have not sought to innovate and continue to use the same type of poles with, in some cases, an industry that is reluctant to use other technologies in this area, while other countries have diversifiedthe typesofpoles usedintheirpower grids

11.1. Long-establishedmarketswithafullmix

11.1.1.

InMorocco

Moroccolauncheditselectrification programin 1996

Overthepast25years,theNationalElectricityBoard(NEB)hasbuiltapowergridusingwood poles, steel poles, andconcrete poles.

NEB has been able to identify and expand a network of local manufacturers for each of these technologies

For wood poles, manufacturers (including Amida, Atlasien de traitement de bois - ATB, FBI, Poteaux bois Maroc, SIRA) treat the poles with creosote or CCA (a mixture of copper, chromium, andarsenic).

Steel poles (for transmission lines) are manufactured by specialized workshops including Emteyco, Electro Tadart, Fabrilec, Funtan, Geemag, Lumafric, Sara électrique, Somodelco, andZamil.

Cement poles are manufactured throughout the country by a dozen manufacturers, including Atlas PDA, Atlas Poteaux, Brinell, Électricité Bellet, ENTEG, Mars Industrie, Présud, SAGAP, SEGMO, SGFE, Siwar, andZinco.

Morocco'sexampleshowsthatacompletemixoftechnologiescanbedevelopedinashort time, ifnecessary, relyingmainlyonlocal manufacturers

11.1.2. InFrance

In France, 70% of utility poles are made of concrete and 30% are made of wood (the oldest ones have been treated with creosote, the most recent ones with CCA). Enedis, the main player in the market, relies on a network of manufacturers that have been established for manyyearsinFrance andinneighboringcountries (Belgium, forexample).

Given the size of the French market, Enedis' industrial suppliers have become large enough toexpandtheirexportbusiness.

Rondino and the leading supplier of wooden poles, France Bois Imprégnés (MOULINVEST group), both have several productionsites.

The cementpoles are manufacturedbyÉlectrobéton, OTEP, SIBA, andStradal.

11.2. Strongerwoodpolemarkets

These markets are located in countries that produce wood and therefore treated wood poles.They havethereforecreatedacomprehensivewoodindustry,partofwhichisthreatenedbythe new regulationsonwoodtreatment products

Naturally,thewoodindustryisstronglydefendingitselfinthesecountriessoasnottoloseits dominantposition

The mainworldmarketisthe UnitedStates, whichisthe epitome ofthiscategory.

To a lesser degree, South Africa is included in this group of markets. The country has long developed a local manufacturing of wood poles that has supplied all the neighboring countries (Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, and Malawi), exporting its productiontoEastAfrica(KenyaandTanzania).Thisareaofinfluenceistendingtoshrinkdueto countries seekingtoreduce theirreliance onforeignsuppliers

There are many wood pole producers, organized in small production units, organized in a strong, active association.The leaderamongthemisTreatedTimber Products.

Although the South African market is dominated by wood poles, other manufacturers have expanded to provide steel (Sectional Poles), concrete (Rocla), or composite (Saltus) poles. However, itdoes nothave the characteristicsofafull mixmarket.

Having once had South Africa as its main supplier, Tanzania banned treated wood poles from Uganda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe in 2016. This decision has greatly boosted the development of local producers. The number of local producers has increased from two in 2015 to eleven in 2021. The older ones treated the wood with CCA and creosote was allowed asof2017.

Given the deterioration of the poles, Tanesco, the local power grid manager, has been evaluating the possibility of using cement poles since 2020. In response to the threat of this shiftinpoletechnology,thewoodindustryprotestedin2020.Atthesametime,concretepole manufacturers likeTCPMandEverwell are growingrapidly

11.3. Woodpolemarketsinastateofchangeorinneedofchange

Other markets were historically dominated by wood poles until recently. For a variety of reasons, including high operating costs, difficulty in obtaining raw materials, deterioration and vandalism, they have had to initiate a shift and switch to a different technology for a large proportionoftheirutilitypoles installed

In these situations, concrete poles are generally the most frequently chosen alternative, as they can be easily produced locally: this is the case in countries such as Cameroon or BurkinaFaso

11.4. Woodpolemarketswithnoprospectofchangeintheimmediatefuture

Dry,desertareashaveaclimateandsoilthatarenotveryharshonutilitypoles.Wood-eating insects do not necessarily thrive there. Although they do not have access to the raw materials (wood), these countries have no reason to change technologies and continue to usewoodpolesasthecheapestsolutionforpurchase.Inthemostextremecasesofdrought, the use ofuntreatedpoles canbeconsideredandexplored

Dependingonthe market, the eventual banofawoodtreatmentsubstance, enacted inthe wake of global regulatory developments, will in most cases result in the local treated wood industryadaptingtotheuseofnewsubstances.Thisimpactwillbeminoraschangingwood preservativesdoes notrequiresignificantchangesinimpregnationprocesses.Eachmanufacturerwill therefore beable toadaptquickly