Aluminium companies leading the path towards sustainability with renewable energy

Aluminium has piqued the interest of industry professionals as a lightweight, recyclable metal with applications ranging from car and aircraft engineering to infrastructure and construction. Most aluminium goods may be recycled for decades, earning the title of 'green metal.' But despite all of its advantages, one of the major disadvantages of aluminium manufacturing is that it is energy-intensive and produces a large amount of carbon dioxide. It is imperative that the aluminium sector address emissions as the world moves toward sustainability. As a result, prominent aluminium manufacturers worldwide aim to reduce their carbon footprint by using diverse renewable energy sources. Below is a list of companies that are taking this shift towards renewable energy for a greener and carbon-free environment –

Hydro to shift from fossil fuel to biomethane

Norsk Hydro announced that its primary aluminium smelter in Sunndal will begin utilising local, sustainable bioenergy instead of fossil fuels to reduce carbon emissions from the manufacturing process. It would be a significant step towards zero emissions after Norway reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 55 per cent since 1990. Hydro Sunndal intends to utilise biomethane for replacing 70 per cent of the natural gas used in the casthouse and anode production facilities. Hydro will begin employing biodegradable energy at its other smelters in the future. The Norwegian company signed a statement of intent with Havila to get biomethane from local facilities to be developed in Møre og Romsdal. Hydro Sunndal will begin securing electricity in 2024 after biomethane facilities are constructed in Norway.

Heading to net zero with Vedanta

According to a regulatory filing, the Indian mining and metals conglomerate Vedanta's board of directors authorised plans to source 91 MW of Hybrid Renewable Power. Across India, 50 MW will be utilised for aluminium activities, 16 MW for copper operations, and 25 MW for oil and gas operations. As a consequence, Vedanta will engage in Power Delivery Agreements (PDAs) with Serentica Renewables India Private Limited (SRIPL) through special purpose vehicles (SPVs). This firm delivers sustainable energy solutions based on solar, wind, and battery storage.

The decision is consistent with Vedanta's ESG vision of "Transforming for Good". It is the first in a series of steps the company will take to achieve its goals of becoming "Net Zero Carbon by 2050 or sooner" and "using 2.5 GW of Round the Clock (RTC) Renewable Energy for its operations by 2030." The Build Own Operate (BOO) and Captive models will be used to create the projects. The electricity distribution agreement will be in effect for 25 years from the project's Date of Commissioning (COD). The SPVs are supposed to generate electricity within 24 months after signing the PDA.

EU and SolarPower

During a gathering arranged by the European aluminium and solar power sectors, namely, European Aluminium and SolarPower Europe, 12 energy-related organisations and municipal associations reiterated their endorsement for a 45 per cent renewable energy objective for the European Union by 2030. Additionally, they called for the Council of the European Union to align itself with the principles and values upheld by the European Commission and European Parliament.

According to LUT University modelling, the most cost-effective method for meeting the EU's 55 per cent greenhouse gas emission reduction target in 2030 is to incorporate 45 per cent renewable energy in the final energy mix. This would put the continent on track to fulfil the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C target. At a relaunch event in Brussels, campaign signatories came together to emphasise the significance of a 45 per cent renewable objective in the present geopolitical and economic context.

EGA investing in renewable energy generation

According to Mr bin Fahad, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), which currently forms the majority of Dubal Holding's portfolio, is considering expanding the midstream and downstream aluminium industries, such as auto spare parts, in the face of projected global aluminium demand growth of nearly 40 per cent to 119.5 million tonnes by the end of 2030. He said EGA's investment in the Dh4 billion waste-to-energy project is on track. He said the initiative would transform 1.9 million tonnes of garbage annually into renewable energy, generating 200 megawatts of power to supply the local grid and aid in accelerating aluminium production. As per Mr Fahad, the facility is expected to begin operations by 2024, and other facilities of this kind are planned for the remainder of the nation. Plastics-to-chemicals-and-fuel plants, as well as new enterprises in biogas and titanium, are already in the works.

Gränges partners with Shandong Innovation Group

Gränges and Shandong Innovation Metal (group) Technology are collaborating to build a recycling and casting factory in Yunnan, China's hydropower-rich region. However, the joint venture has certified that it has secured access to low-carbon raw aluminium through an energy-efficient supply from a nearby smelter and renewable energy for casting processes. Gränges will significantly reduce its carbon footprint by 2040 through this strategic alliance to reach its net-zero goals.

Hillside Aluminium collaborates with Solana Energy

Hillside Aluminium, fully owned and run by South32, teamed with Solana Energy to provide renewable energy to one of the country's most important business centres. This multi-phased project will allow the introduction of renewable solar power infrastructure into Richards Bay and King Cetshwayo District (KCD), adding between 2MW and 2.5MW of renewable energy capacity to the local grid within a year. This will enable Hillside Aluminium suppliers to begin reaping the advantages of renewable energy. The collaboration will reduce power prices and greenhouse gas emissions for employees and companies and spur investment to assist the region's transition to a low-carbon economy.

Hydro Spanish Fork

Hydro's aluminium extrusion plant in Spanish Fork, Utah, became the first in the United States to be powered entirely by renewable energy. In July, the aluminium extrusion company signed an eight-year contract with the City of Spanish Fork and the Utah Municipal Electricity Agency to acquire locally produced electricity from two newly completed photovoltaic solar systems. The Spanish Fork facility joins Hydro's Pointe-Claire, Quebec complex as the second in North America to accomplish this milestone. Furthermore, once a new solar field is completed in the first half of 2023, Hydro's Cressona, Pennsylvania, facility will solely utilise renewable energy to supply its full electrical demand.