Japanese aluminium manufacturer UACJ Co Ltd has signed a 20-year solar power purchase agreement (PPA) with Hokuriku Electric Power Biz Energy Solution Co Ltd to supply renewable electricity to its Fukui Works. The 7.43 MW solar project in Sakai City, Fukui Prefecture, is expected to deliver 8.5 GWh of electricity annually while reducing UACJ’s carbon dioxide emissions by 27,694 tonnes per year. Private-line solar supply to begin in November Under the agreement announced on October 26, 2026, Hokuriku Electric Power Biz Energy Solution will supply UACJ’s Fukui Works through a dedicated 4.2 km private power line. The offsite solar plant has a capacity of 5 MWAC/7.43 MWDC, with electricity deliveries scheduled to begin on November 1, 2026. Built on a 75,197-square-metre site, equivalent to...
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...
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The Russian aluminium giant and one of the world's leading producers of low-carbon aluminium Rusal's Board has approved the 2035 Sustainable Development Strategy. The strategy states the audacious objective of making sustainability accessible to all stakeholders in the aluminium supply chain. The company wants to develop a new class of non-ferrous metals assets that are future-proof by meeting the demands of the circular economy and the low-carbon transition (ready to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and reasonably well balanced between primary and secondary material resources) based on an adaptive, equitable, secure, and inclusive value chain, and cutting-edge technological solutions. Evgenii Nikitin, the General Director of RUSAL, outlines the purpose of this long-term strategic plan...
DECO Australia has achieved a new milestone concerning its commitment towards lowering carbon emissions. The leading producer of aluminium building products and finishes has joined forces with Capral Aluminium to use LocAl® Green lower-carbon aluminium. DECO will start receiving the LocAl® aluminium from June 2023. "Capral Aluminium is Australia's largest aluminium extruder, and we are pleased to announce today that DECO Australia and Capral have reached agreement for Capral to supply DECO with lower carbon aluminium to assist in producing more environmentally friendly building products." said Ross Doonan, founder and director of DECO Australia. DECO is the first to commit to upgrading all of its Capral aluminium extrusions to LocAl® Green. The announcement was made in the presence of...
Last week, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) declared that Oman Aluminium Rolling Company (OARC) has successfully been registered as a new Production and Transformation member. OARC is a green field aluminium rolling mill located in Oman, established in 2011. The plant is situated in the Sohar Industrial Estate and has a nameplate capacity of 140 thousand metric tons of rolled aluminium annually. It can increase production capacity to 200 thousand metric tons per year in the future. The plant has a headcount of more than 300 workers and serves customers in the building and construction, transportation, packaging, consumer durables, energy, and HVAC sectors across three continents. Peter Rijkoort, the CEO of OARC, mentioned in a press release that joining hands with ASI displays...
In the midst of growing innovations and experimentation, increased demand for aluminium due to its distinctive properties is rising effectively. Innovative aluminium uses in the industry are developing as customers want eco-friendly and sustainable packaging solutions. To begin with, Lumson is planning to launch its very popular released Techno Airless Aluminium (TAL), an airless aluminium container in a greener form. Mercedes-Benz recently announced the results of its low-carbon technological plan, which was created in collaboration with aluminium maker Hydro. They successfully tested low-carbon aluminium with at least 25 per cent post-consumer scrap and are currently putting this more sustainable material into structural cast components for production this year. According to the...
Today, Darragh O'Brien, the Minister for Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, has requested the Oireachtas to approve amendments to the Planning and Development Regulations. Additionally, the Minister is seeking approval for planning exemptions to allow retailers to implement the government's new 'Deposit and Return' initiative for plastic or aluminium bottles. The move will help these businesses save hundreds of euros in 2023. These changes will permit the continued exemption of license fees for outdoor dining for restaurants, cafés, hotels, and pubs throughout Ireland. The government plans to introduce a Deposit and Return Scheme (DRS) for plastic bottles and aluminium cans as part of its commitment to waste reduction. This scheme involves charging a small deposit on drink...
Baotou Aluminium Co., an electrolytic aluminium base of Chinalco in northern China, has been enlisted by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) as the new Production and Transformation member. Founded in 1958, the company was an electrolytic aluminium enterprise constructed during China's Second Five-Year Plan and the first electrolytic aluminium enterprise designed and independently built after the establishment of New China. After more than 60 years of development, the company has become the first phalanx of China's aluminium industry. It has a production capacity of 1.3 million tonnes of electrolytic aluminium, 1.71 million kilowatts of self-provided electric power, 50,000 tonnes of high-purity aluminium and 120,000 tonnes of anode. It has a total asset value of 18.22 billion yuan...
On May 10, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) announced the joining of Asiaway Automotive Components Mexico (AWM) as the new Production and Transformation member. AWM specialises in die casting and machining aluminium components. AWM is a subsidiary of Asiaway Group (headquartered in China, Ningbo Asiaway Automotive Components). “As a growing company, Asiaway realises the importance of the key environmental and social impacts of our work and aims to improve its supply chain to the highest standard possible, particularly all aluminium related,” said Manuel Madrigal, GM at AWM. Ningbo Haiwei Auto Parts Co., Ltd. was founded in April 2010. The firm is dedicated to auto part research, development, and manufacturing and also assists clients in realising the lightweight of parts via...
According to a report on Tuesday, May 9, Hydro Rein has signed a contract with GreenGo Energy to purchase and develop two early-phase solar projects in Southern Sweden. The projects are in area SE4, with an estimated combined peak capacity of 118 MW. The land lease agreements have already been signed, and the construction is expected to begin in 2027. As per the agreement, GreenGo Energy will develop the projects, while Hydro Rein will lead contractual setup and other services like structuring, route to market, construction and operations. Hydro will get 100 per cent ownership of the projects upon the completion of the acquisition. The solar projects are estimated to generate 143 GWh of power. Site assessments of the projects are currently under process, and interconnection requests to...
Aluminium is becoming more popular among businesses and consumers as they prioritise sustainability in their products, according to the Aluminum Association, the industry’s leading voice, representing companies that make 70 per cent of the aluminium and aluminium products shipped in North America. Choosing aluminium means selecting an indefinitely recyclable material that supports good-paying jobs while also helping the region in meeting climate and energy goals. When talking about packaging, aluminium beverage cans contain 3X to 12X more recycled content than competing packaging types, which is one reason aluminium is counted as the best sustainable solution. Again, when commenting on aluminium's usage in buildings and construction, aluminium structures can weigh substantially less than...
Mercedes-Benz recently shared the outcomes of their low-carbon technology roadmap, which was developed in partnership with aluminium producer Hydro. They successfully tested a low-carbon aluminium that contains at least 25% post-consumer scrap and is now incorporating this more sustainable material into their structural cast components for production this year. The tested aluminium has a carbon footprint of only 2.8 kg CO2 per kg of aluminium. Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Chief Technology Officer, Development & Procurement, notified: "On our path to achieving a net carbon neutral vehicle fleet along the entire value chain by 2039, we are reaching the next milestone: Together with our strategic partner Hydro we are bringing low carbon...
In the midst of expanding innovations and experiments in the packaging business, the rising demands for aluminium due to its unique attributes are increasing effectively. As clients choose eco-friendly and sustainable packaging solutions, innovative aluminium applications in the packaging sector are expanding. The Italy-based luxury packaging company for makeup and skincare products, Lumson, launched Techno Airless Aluminium (TAL), an aluminium airless packaging with a bag, in 2021 and was a massive hit in the market. As per the latest reports, the sustainable product is returning in a greener version. Beginning this year, a TAL version manufactured from post-consumer recycled aluminium (PCR) will be available. Given that aluminium is already a sustainable material since it is 100 per...
UK-based Creed Foodservice Company, a catering services provider, has plugged into a noble initiative wherein the company would give preference to environmentally conscious suppliers as a part of their initiatives to achieve net zero by 2035. The company has set a goal of attaining carbon neutrality by 2025, and for that, it has laid out sustainable approaches to the cause. Creed has claimed it would scrutinise the sustainable policies of both prevailing and potential suppliers. Creed has worked side by side with corporate climate action consultants ClimatePartner to get better perspectives in their efforts to get environment-friendly. Philip Creed, the sustainability director of Creed, commented: "Where possible, we are looking to stock products from suppliers with clear and defined...
The Alba Calciner and Alba Smelter in Bahrain have received Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard V2 (2022) Certification. This is the first Middle Eastern entity to be certified against the new CoC Standard V2, released in May 2022 after a multi-year review process. Alba was certified to the ASI Performance Standard V2 in January 2020. Aluminium Bahrain has been successfully certified against the ASI CoC Standard V2 (2022) for producing and marketing primary aluminium from alumina, petroleum coke calcination, water desalination, and anode manufacturing, smelting, casting, and captive power generation at the Alba Calciner and Alba Smelter in Bahrain. Alba is one of the world's biggest smelters, producing around 1.56 million tonnes of primary aluminium...
London sets an innovative sustainability model by installing The Tree Goddess made of collected aluminium cans at A2Dominion’s Beethoven Centre, Westminster. Veolia has commissioned the sculpture created by artist Faith Bebbington. It has been constituted with the help of one thousand aluminium cans retrieved from public events in the West End. The Tree Goddess was displayed last year at the Brighter Future art festival organised in Westminster, and since then, it has been travelling around London. Veolia, a waste management firm encouraging environmental consciousness, was behind the conception of this statue. The firm worked with Art of London to give the Tree Goddess an exceptional design that evokes a better future with raised sustainability standards. The structure is three metres...
The sustainability quotient of aluminium has finally made a global impression as we see central industrial departments making a dive toward sourcing non-ferrous metal for their operations. The automobile industry is spearheading the movement, and it can be legitimised due to the constant need for aluminium in making lighter parts for Electric Vehicles (EV). Organisations like Alumobility have made it a point to encourage using aluminium for Last Minute Delivery Vehicles (LMDV) as it helps in curtailing carbon footprint along the way since it is lightweight and 100% recyclable. Under notifications by Lenovo, Motorola has created the ThinkPhone, water resitant and stronger than ever, with an aluminium outer case. On a very different note, Coach was seen promoting sustainability with...
On May 2, SIG, a UK-based flexible packaging company, announced its partnership with dairy company Hochwald. The cooperation will see the German business use its SIG Vita family-sized packaging for its new plant-based goods. According to SIG, sustainability is essential to its operations. As a result, the aluminium used is ASI (Aluminium Steward Initiative) certified. In response to increased demand for a greener and cleaner environment, many firms are embracing aluminium as a transitional material to a more sustainable future. Because of its high recyclability and lightweight, aluminium is a crucial component in a more circular, low-carbon economy. Also, the paperboard used in SIG Vita is derived from 100 per cent FSC-certified forests and other regulated sources. Hochwalds claims that...
Grupa Kęty S.A. has received ASI Performance Standard V2 (2017) Certification for its foundry and extrusion facility in Kęty, Poland, for producing billets and manufacturing aluminium profiles and components. With an annual manufacturing capacity of 90,000 tonnes, the firm is the largest Polish maker of aluminium profiles and components. The four-line foundry can manufacture up to 50,000 tonnes of billets per year from a feedstock, including aluminium scrap, totalling 31,000 tonnes in 2022. “We congratulate Grupa Kęty S.A. for achieving ASI Performance Standard Certification at its foundry and extrusion plant in Kęty, Poland. Using scrap in billet production requires less energy than using primary aluminium and further reduces the environmental impact of the production process. With a...
The duo showcased mutual adoration at Coach’s Coachtopia launch dinner a few weeks ago. Now, they have turned many heads with their mesmerising partnership that flaunted authentic attire featuring embellishments made from materials like bike tubes and aluminium soda cans at the Met Gala. The director of Coach, New York, British designer Stuart Vevers was spotted with environmental activist Maya Penn at the opening of Met Gala 2023. Vevers went on to clarify: “The look we designed for Maya expresses our American design language, imagined for a new generation through the lens of environmental responsibility.” He suggested: “It’s part of our house’s commitment to explore, experiment and learn more about sustainable design through iteration and new ways of creating, as well as the design...
