Apple and Tsinghua collabs to optimise revolutionising aluminium production through low-carbon recycling

In 2022, Apple and Tsinghua University introduced the ‘Carbon Neutral Capacity Improvement Project’ to train younger pupils on environmental protection and low-carbon transformation. Carbon neutrality is a vast and convoluted system inclusive of pivotal technologies, engineering, systems, and governance.

Image Source: https://www.tsinghua.edu.cn

Through this project, on one hand, students could study relevant practices on campus and, on the other, go to the ground zeroes of factories and businesses for field summer exercise, subsequently attaining an in-depth understanding of the practical applications of carbon neutrality, technological innovation and management.

This year, Tsinghua University students created research groups focused on improving energy efficiency through digitalisation, optimising the carbon footprint of recycled aluminium, and developing waste-free supply chains. Their work on carbon-neutral concepts earned 13 practice teams, along with several students and instructors, prestigious awards.

Wang Xiao, a civil engineering student at the university, expressed that her internship enhanced her understanding of carbon neutrality and showed her how theoretical knowledge can be applied practically. She discovered a career focussed on developing low-carbon technologies.

Another student, also named Wang Xiao, from the Chemical Engineering department, shared her impressions of Shandong Innovation Company as they went to the site this summer to investigate the carbon footprint of renewable aluminium. In the past two months of work, they summarised the carbon footprint of recycled aluminium and put forward suggestions for further optimisation. She found it notably cleaner and more environmentally friendly than previous chemical plants she visited.

She stated, “By integrating our technology with Apple’s carbon reduction methods, we can achieve positive results.”

“The process of this project itself inspired me a lot. Even though the initial goals were a bit vague, and there were no cases to learn from, we were able to complete the project in the end. This breakthrough spirit is very meaningful to our research.” said PhD candidate in the School of Environment Wang Huijing, whose team visited Likai Precision and its upstream company Shandong Innovation for on-site inspections of aluminium scrap recycling for the development of a waste-free supply chain system exploring the possibility of a waste-free factory. Tang Yujing from the School of Architecture concluded, “Apple’s supply chain companies are very meticulous in every link. From one side, I understand why Apple can produce such good products. The instructors are very patient and professional. It was an honour to learn from them, allowing us to achieve door-to-door field research on this project.”