Aluminium Bahrain signs MoU with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to reduce its carbon footprint

Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world's largest aluminium smelter outside of China, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries EMEA Ltd. (MHI EMEA), a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, on January 19, 2022, to collaborate on ways to reduce Alba's carbon footprint.

The MoU, which is the first of its kind with an aluminium producer, will lay the groundwork for a feasibility study on using MHI Group's CO2 capture from flue gas technology, developed in collaboration with Kansai Electric Power Co., to reduce Alba's plant emissions to achieve decarbonization.

Alba's Chairman of the Board Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa and Kentaro Hosomi, CEO of MHI EMEA, were present at the signing ceremony, which was held at Al Dana Hall in the presence of Alba's Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali and Chief Power Officer Amin Sultan, as well as senior officials from MHI Group.

"Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) matters are fronting everything we do in Alba. This MoU will play a fundamental role as we want to be accelerators and embed sustainability considerations in our operations to be more environmentally responsible and inclusive. We are also pleased to partner with MHI Group - a proven leader in Carbon Capture technology - as we chart our journey in our race to decarbonisation,” said Alba's Chairman of the Board Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa.

"As a market leader in decarbonization technology such as carbon capture, storage and utilisation, MHI Group is proud to support Alba and the Kingdom of Bahrain in reaching their ambitious sustainability goals. It is partnerships such as this that enable the industry to move quickly on the way to carbon neutrality,” added the CEO of MHI EMEA, Kentaro Hosomi.

Alba's decarbonisation initiatives, as one of Bahrain's top industrial businesses, will be critical in reaching the Kingdom's newly declared Net Zero and Renewable Energy Targets by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister.