Working paper
Estimated Service Life of Wood Utility Poles
North American Wood Pole Council Technical Bulletin, 16-U-101
North American Wood Pole Council
2016
Abstract
Utilities are often faced with questions about how long a pole lasts once it is placed in the ground. Why does it matter? There are a number of important reasons for paying attention to service life.
First, utilities want to maximize their capital dollars and longer service life reduces the need for pole replacements. More recently, utilities have begun to examine their carbon footprint. Trees
fix or sequester carbon from the atmosphere as they grow and this carbon remains locked in the wood once the pole is manufactured.
While thousands of tons of carbon are stored in the utility wood pole plant, a relatively small portion of a utility’s total carbon footprint is represented by the electric transmission and distribution system. Efforts to reduce this footprint can have important public relations value. Wood poles offer an opportunity for atmospheric carbon sequestration not provided by other materials.
Details
- Title
- Estimated Service Life of Wood Utility Poles
- Authors
- Jeffrey J. Morrell (Author) - Oregon State University
- Publication details
- North American Wood Pole Council Technical Bulletin, 16-U-101; 6 pages
- Publisher
- North American Wood Pole Council
- Organisation Unit
- National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99613207402621
- Output Type
- Working paper
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