“The main goal of the GreenAlum project is the development of innovative technologies in the aluminium industry and machine tool building,” Sergey Kidakov, Founder, GreenAlum

Sergey Kidakov holds a degree in engineering specializing in railways and automobiles. Additionally, he has a higher education degree in Information Technology (IT) in communication and telecommunications.

His experience includes supporting and developing IT startups, and he has been solving problems in the aluminium industry through the GreenAlum project for the last eight years.      

AlCircle: Please share with us more about the work GreenAlum does. How is GreenAlum supporting the aluminium industry's transition to sustainability?

Mr Sergey Kidakov: The GreenAlum project has existed since 2014. The main goal of the project is the development of innovative technologies in the aluminium industry and machine tool building. Over the past three years, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies have been developed in the field of primary aluminium production and alumina production. These technologies significantly reduce energy consumption, reduce CO2 emissions to zero, optimise production processes, and obtain additional raw materials for producing iron, titanium, potassium, pure silicon, and rare earth metals. The introduction of technologies will bring large profits to enterprises by saving resources and obtaining related materials. The resulting raw materials will drastically reduce the need for mining, which will best affect the ecology of many regions of the earth.

AlCircle: What do you think about sustainable alumina production? Could you tell us about the GreenAlum project on industrial waste in the alumina industry?

Mr Sergey Kidakov: Bauxite ore is (90%) raw material for producing alumina-aluminium. The Bayer process technology has been around for a century and a half and has mostly stayed the same. It has many disadvantages, which, with the increase in alumina production, significantly increase the cost of the product and are very harmful to the environment around the processing plants. Now the amount of accumulated waste of red mud has assumed alarming proportions. We can avoid environmental disasters like the one that happened near the village of Kolontár in Hungary in 2010. With the advent of the technology of the non-waste processing of bauxite and red mud, there was a chance to improve nature and reduce the pathogenic impact of production and waste on humanity.

AlCircle: What environmentally friendly and energy-saving technologies can the aluminium industry implement for a green transition?

Mr Sergey Kidakov: There are several directions for introducing environmentally friendly and energy-saving technologies in the aluminium industry: (i)Introduction of chemically neutral anodes in electrolysers to replace CO2 emissions with oxygen (ii)Rusal is the leader here. They use of "green" energy for the production of aluminium and alumina. Energy production from burning fossil fuels must stop (iii) Optimization of logistics and technological chains in production. Use of environmentally friendly transport (iv)The use of aluminium recycling instead of the primary output. This will develop gradually as aluminium waste accumulates.

AlCircle: Can the global aluminium industry move towards low-carbon aluminium production in the next ten years?

Mr Sergey Kidakov: Maybe. This requires the efforts of both producers and legislators. Introducing new technologies at the state level and state associations may enable the timely completion of the process against the backdrop of the economic crisis. Therefore, manufacturers and policymakers must be well aware of the state of the industry and the possibilities of new technologies. It is also necessary to shift the focus to nuclear and hydroelectric power to replace intermittent and inefficient solar and wind energy.

AlCircle: What is GreenAlum's message to the global aluminium industry for a sustainable future?

Mr Sergey Kidakov: The potential of aluminium as a structural and building material is not fully disclosed. Production will grow, and new alloys and designs will appear. Obtaining aluminium with minimal energy use and maximum environmental protection is essential. This is a priority for the development of the industry. Those who follow preferences avoid losing competitive advantage and business.