Aluminium’s decarbonisation challenge extends beyond the electricity powering its smelters. Inside the reduction cell, electrode quality influences how efficiently that electricity is used, how much carbon is consumed and how consistently the process performs. Improving electrodes therefore offers producers a practical opportunity to address operating costs and emissions together. For Switzerland-based R&D Carbon , understanding the relationship between raw materials, electrode quality and industrial performance has been a focus for four decades. Founded in 1986 by Werner K. Fischer, the company built on carbon research previously undertaken at Swiss Aluminium Ltd., or Alusuisse. Today, it operates from Granges, near Sierre, with a team of 30 specialists serving more than 150 customers...
Mexico’s aluminum industry is looking to capitalize on rising demand from artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, electric mobility, automotive manufacturing, and aerospace. Expanding technology investments and international market opportunities are expected to support sales growth, while the country’s reliance on imported aluminum highlights the importance of strengthening domestic processing capabilities. Ramón Beltrán, president of Mexico’s National Chamber of the Aluminum Industry (Canalum), expects the country’s domestic and international aluminum sales to gain momentum in 2026, supported by demand from advanced technology applications and established manufacturing sectors. “We expect to close out this year with growth of between 7.5% and 7.8% in domestic and international...
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On April 30, 2025, Cymat Technologies, a Canada-based innovative materials company that manufactures and produces Stabilised Aluminium Form (SAF), has recently joined hands with France-based NUVIA. This collaboration has been signed for a decade, with an agreement in the nuclear energy industry securing seamless integration of the Cymat SmartMetal panels. Image for representational purposes France, within its nuclear energy plants, at present, is deemed to be undertaking life extension programmes. At present, the majority of the sectors are providing extra attention to nuclear electricity generation as it is a safer option for conducting low-carbon energy production. This collaboration will serve to support both companies' joint marketing initiatives, which shall extend beyond the...
A new sustainability partnership has emerged recently! Hydro, an aluminium and renewable energy-based company, has signed a long-term offtake agreement with NKT, a power cable solution provider of wire rods for power cables. This agreement has been struck for ramping up the production to meet the growing market demand of medium and high voltage power cable solutions in Europe. Image source: hydro.com Partnership benefiting both companies As per the signed agreement, Hydro will supply around 274,000 tonnes of wire rods to NKT, effective from 2026. The deal is valid through 2033, with an option to increase the amount upon request. As of now, the committed volume shall be used to make medium-voltage cables. The estimated value of the wire rod to be shipped from Hydro to NKT is EUR 1 billion...
Hydro and Nemak, the two old allies, have reportedly formed another strategic partnership to develop low-carbon aluminium casting products for the automotive industry to decarbonise the car manufacturing sector and help automakers reach their sustainability goals. What goes into producing the new low-carbon aluminium casting products is more post-consumer scrap and the right mix of cleaner energy as power sources like natural gas and electrical boilers at Hydro’s Alunorte alumina refinery in Brazil. Hydro and Nemak have embarked on this new, long-term collaboration to develop foundry alloy aluminium solutions with a CO2 footprint below 3 kg CO2 per kilogram of aluminium. Otherwise, the partnership between Hydro and Nemak is old in the industry with the supply agreement of Hydro REDUXA...
London Metal Exchange, on April 23, 2025, stated in a meeting with its respective stakeholders that it is currently working on establishing a system where it would add a premium to the prices of sustainable metals, including both ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The four major metals at a focus for premia pricing include aluminium, zinc, copper, and nickel. Image source: Wikipedia.com This initiative for producing sustainable metal pricing is available for LME-approved brands. However, not all companies listed under LME can attain these premia prices because it is only for those who have met the criteria of low-carbon footprint requirements in the nonferrous metal certification bodies. Some of the companies that produce low-carbon aluminium and are also listed under LME are Hindalco, whose...
Vedanta Aluminium marked the 55th Earth Day, themed ‘Our Power, Our Planet’, quite literally by strengthening their sustainability milestones. By collaborating with PwC, the company achieved success in waste-to-wealth initiatives, renewable energy adoption, and biodiversity conservation. This marks the organisation's commitment towards integrating sustainability into industrial practices. Image source: vedantalimited.com Vedanta Aluminium, since 2022, has successfully provided over 1.5 million tonnes of fly ash to cement producers and 3 million tonnes to NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) projects. Besides this, the organisation has also delivered over 0.3 million tonnes of fly ash to MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise) for effective brick production. This also marks the...
Imagine driving an electric vehicle (EV) without worrying about finding a charging station or running out of battery mid-journey. This vision is fast becoming a reality, thanks to an ambitious project in Sweden. It’s not just a technological breakthrough—it’s a bold step toward a fossil-free tomorrow. The country is building the world’s first permanent electrified highway, where EVs will charge seamlessly as they drive. Set to be completed by 2025, this game-changing e-motorway promises to eliminate range anxiety, transforming the way we think about electric mobility and paving the way for a sustainable, emission-free future. “If we electrify 20,000km of highways, that will definitely be enough. The distance between two highways is never more than 45km, and electric cars can already...
A recent study has found that three out of Australia’s four aluminium smelters face a serious risk of closure under proposed shifts in energy policy, a development that could shake the entire nation’s economy and threaten thousands of jobs. Why such a speculation? The federal opposition has pledged to construct seven nuclear power plants across five states if elected, arguing that their modelled plan could be 44 per cent cheaper than Labor’s renewable roadmap. This AI-generated image is for representational purposes only So, what could unfold if the Coalition forms government and pushes this nuclear initiative forward? Australia’s aluminium smelters are among the highest industrial energy users in the country. The Tomago smelter in New South Wales alone accounts for 12 per cent of the...
The Stanford University research team has developed solar technology that generates energy long after the sun sets—even in moonlight, clouds, or rain. This may be a pivotal leap that could redefine the boundaries of renewable energy. Dubbed by many as "moonlight panels," this innovation directly challenges solar energy's long-standing limitation: its dependence on sunlight. For decades, scientists have grappled with the inconvenient truth that solar panels sleep when the sun does. However, a team led by Professor Shanhui Fan at Stanford has now seemingly cracked the code, utilising a natural thermodynamic process known as radiative cooling. The mechanism is elegantly simple but profoundly powerful. At night, surfaces naturally emit heat in the form of infrared radiation. On clear nights,...
In a significant move towards achieving India's climate goals, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has set greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity targets for individual companies across four key industrial sectors—aluminium, cement, chlor-alkali, and paper. This landmark initiative marks a shift towards sector-specific accountability and data-driven climate action. These targets apply to 13 aluminium producers (including Vedanta and Hindalco), 186 cement companies, 30 chlor-alkali units, and 53 paper manufacturers. The emission intensity goals are set for the fiscal years 2025–26 and 2026–27, using each company's 2023–24 production levels as the baseline. For instance, Vedanta, listed first among the aluminium producers, reported a production volume of...
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), one of India’s iconic aluminium producers has taken a significant step towards sustainability by introducing six Electric Vehicles (EVs) into its waste management fleet in Korba. Korba is a city and an industrial area in Korba District in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. With a load capacity of 1,000 kilograms each, these EVs enhance efficient and segregated waste collection , promoting systematic and eco-friendly waste disposal. In a further push towards green operations, BALCO has also deployed electric lithium-ion forklifts within its facilities. Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO and Director of BALCO, stated, “At BALCO, we are actively investing in innovative green solutions that not just transform our operations but inspire a movement towards...
Travelling has not only become more comfortable but also sustainable. Just imagine a car that ensures luxury however looks forward to promote a greener environment. In addition, Renault’s Emblème redefines sustainable automotive design by seamlessly blending intelligent resource use with aesthetic and functional innovation. Renault Group is emerging as a leader in low-carbon transportation. In alignment with the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015, the Group reshaped its strategy to significantly cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and help keep global temperature rise well below 2°C. “The ambition of the Renault Emblème project was to achieve maximum decarbonisation by designing a car that is attractive, efficient, family-friendly, comfortable, high-tech and versatile in use. More than a...
India’s expanding renewable energy capacity and strong government support for sustainable manufacturing are drawing increased interest from global companies, including Rio Tinto. On Thursday, April 17, the global mining giant Rio Tinto announceda collaboration with energy transition solutions provider AMG Metals & Materials (AMG M&M) to develop an integrated low-carbon aluminium project in southern India. Rio Tinto and AMG M&M have reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which states both parties will jointly assess the feasibility of the project that will potentially produce up to 1 million tonnes of primary aluminium in a year and 2 million tonnes of alumina, both powered by 1.8–2.0 GW of solar and wind energy backed by pumped hydro storage, translating to 7–8 GW of clean...
The Swedish automotive manufacturer Polestar has released its fourth Annual Sustainability Report, highlighting notable progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, advancing the Polestar 0 project, and enhancing transparency and material sustainability. Since initiating carbon footprint measurements in 2020, the company has achieved a 24.7 per cent reduction in emissions per vehicle sold. Key drivers of this progress include the expanded use of low-carbon aluminium across all models, improved battery manufacturing processes, the adoption of 100 per cent renewable electricity in vehicle production, and more efficient logistics supported by increased use of biofuels on select maritime routes. Launched in 2021, the Polestar 0 project set out as an ambitious moonshot goal to develop a...
AL Circle, the world's fastest-growing global ALuminium ecosystem, is delighted to share the official launch of its flagship annual publication – ‘ Aluminium LeaderSpeak 2025 ’ . As the global aluminium industry grows sustainably, ‘ Aluminium LeaderSpeak 2025 ’ brings together the voices of some influential leaders and decision-makers across the aluminium value chain. This exclusive e-Magazine offers readers a panoramic view of the trends, technologies, and transformations shaping the industry in 2025 and beyond. Why ‘Aluminium LeaderSpeak 2025’ matters This year's edition is especially significant, released at a time when the aluminium sector is navigating complex challenges and bold opportunities—from green manufacturing and digitalisation to energy transition and supply chain...
HPQ Silicon Inc., a technology company focused on developing green engineering solutions, has re-issued an amended version of its April 10, 2025, press release in response to a request from l’Autorité des marchés financiers. The announcement highlights the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between HPQ, its French subsidiary NOVACIUM SAS (“Novacium”), and GLD Alloys (GLD), a prominent Malaysian producer of recycled aluminium. Through this collaboration, HPQ, Novacium, and GLD are joining forces to harness GLD’s expertise in producing low-carbon recycled aluminium alloys — a critical material in the formulation of METAGENE™ fuel. The signing of the MoU also aims to explore opportunities for scaling up the industrial production of METAGENE™ fuel — Novacium’s proprietary...
The aluminium industry is undergoing a huge transformation. With sustainability and transparency now essential, businesses are prioritising responsibly sourced materials. Recently, Capral Aluminium and Vedanta unlocked a milestone. Capral, an Australia-based national supplier and distributor of aluminium products, has been leading the charge toward more sustainable sourcing, progressively expanding its supply of ASI Chain of Custody (CoC)-certified aluminium. In February, Capral received the world’s first ASI CoC-certified aluminium shipment from Vedanta Aluminium—highlighting both a global first for Vedanta and Capral’s ongoing dedication to responsible sourcing. “As an Australian manufacturer, we have a responsibility to ensure that the materials we source support a sustainable future....
Novelis, a leading American aluminium rolled products company and recycler, has extended its partnership for two more years to support carbon-neutral aluminium manufacturing at the Net Zero Lab Valais. The collaboration includes HES-SO Valais-Wallis, EPFL and OIKEN, showing Novelis’ ongoing commitment to sustainable aluminium production. Image source: Novelis What is Net Zero Lab Valais? With its inception on February 14, 2022, Net Zero Lab Valais is an R&D (research & development) facility established by Novelis with the focus of developing carbon-neutral solutions applicable to aluminium manufacturers. The main reason behind developing this facility is to reduce the company’s scope 1 and 2 emissions within the operations of their Sierre (Switzerland) plant. “Together Towards Carbon...
In the dynamic industrial landscape of India, heavy industries such as aluminium, steel, and cement are on the brink of a renewable revolution. Traditionally reliant on captive coal generation, these sectors now face a transformative 20 GW solar open access opportunity, a prospect that promises to slash production costs and reduce carbon emissions by up to 29 million tonnes annually. For instance, the steel sector alone, which contributes around 9.4 GW to this market, could see production costs drop by up to 10 per cent in setups like standalone arc furnaces, thanks to a shift from expensive grid power to open-access solar. Meanwhile, cement and aluminium, despite their ongoing reliance on captive coal, add another 11 GW to the potential. Aluminium, a cornerstone of India’s power sector,...
