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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Vedanta Aluminium has reportedly deployed Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices in fabric filters at its 2400 MW Thermal Power Plant to check carbon emissions. Fabric filters are special bag filters placed after electrostatic precipitators in chimneys. They collect particulate matter from the hot gas emitting from the power plant boiler system so it does not release into the atmosphere. The differential pressure between the bags plays a pivotal role in increasing the efficiency of the filters. Fabric filters are the third line of defense for carbon emissions, which significantly improves the air quality. Vedanta has installed IIoT devices for precisely monitoring differential pressure and taking immediate action, said the company in a statement on Monday, April 17. Vedanta is the...
On Wednesday, April 18, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative reportedly welcomed ASHKHAR METALS FZE as a new Production and Transformation member. Based in the United Arab Emirates, the company produces secondary aluminium alloy for the Middle East, Asian, and North American market. ASHKHAR METALS obtains scrap for alloys production from the Middle East and North American market. Currently, the firm is working with die-casters and primary aluminium smelters to help them achieve net-zero goals by using 100 per cent scrap feedstock in aluminium alloys. The intention is to help the downstream and primary aluminium sector with net-zero targets by supplying aluminium feedstock with 100 per cent recycled aluminium content. ASHKHAR METALS aspires to attend the environmental, social and governance...
On Tuesday, April 18, the leading mobility technology company Magna and the Department of Energy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) unveiled a new manufacturing process which saves 50 per cent of energy and cuts CO2 emissions by nearly 90 per cent. The Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE) gathers aluminium scraps and cuttings left over from automobile production and convert them into new vehicle components . By using this method, less raw aluminium ore needs to be mined. The team is now redesigning this procedure to create lightweight electric car parts. Magna and the PNNL have been working together on the study for four years, with funding provided by the Lightweight Materials Consortium (LightMAT) Programme of the DOE's Vehicle Technologies Office. ShAPE has...
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On Tuesday, April 18, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative certified Hindalco Industries Limited against the Performance Standard V2 (2017) for sheet rolling operation at the Taloja facility in the Raigad District of Maharashtra, India. This facility represents Hindalco’s third ASI-certified rolling plant after Mouda and Hirakud FRP, which received ASI Performance Standard Certification in February 2022 and December 2022, respectively. The Taloja facility accounts for one-fourth of Hindalco’s total rolled products output. The facility produces litho sheets, foilstock, closure stock, auto finstock, lamp caps, and aluminium composite panels. The ASI Performance Standard V2 (2017) certification defines environmental, social, and governance principles and criteria, aiming to address...
The sustainability sector has been a witness to huge propositions this week, with British actor Ricky Gervais supporting Cano Water’s sustainable drive of circulating water in 100 per cent recyclable aluminium cans. Constellium’s Catherine Athènes was voted to be on the Board of Directors of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI). EGA has partnered with HILT CRC (Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre) to carry out detailed research on decarbonising the alumina refining process. Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) has been a recipient of the ‘PAT Top Performer’ award for an extraordinary contribution to conserving the planet by reducing its carbon footprint. Runaya, India’s first and the world’s second zero-waste, zero-discharge aluminium processing...
Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) announced on Wednesday, April 12, that it received the ‘PAT Top Performer’ award from R K Singh, Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy, for its constant efforts towards energy conservation under the Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT) Scheme. The presentation of the award took place on the occasion of the 21st Foundation Day of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), which introduced the PAT scheme to encourage energy-intensive industries to reduce specific energy consumption. The chief goal of the scheme is to make India’s industrial sector energy efficient. Vedanta’s subsidiary BALCO represents the Indian aluminium industry as an energy-efficient company, recognised as a Top Performer Designated Consumer. BALCO’s commitment to becoming an...
On April 12, 2023, the global leader in developing and manufacturing high-value-added aluminium products and solutions and in aluminium recycling, Constellium, announced that Catherine Athènes, the Group Vice President of Global Sustainability and Public Affairs Europe, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI), a global non-profit, multi-stakeholder, standards setting and certification organization for the aluminium value chain. Athènes has over 20 years of expertise in the aluminium business and over 30 years of international experience in sustainability, corporate strategy, marketing, and sales. She has been leading Constellium's sustainability journey since 2018. Catherine Athènes said, “I am honoured to join ASI’s Board of Directors....
Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest aluminium producer in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, has reportedly collaborated with HILT CRC (Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre) to conduct advanced research on decarbonising alumina refining. HILT CRC is an Australian cooperative research centre that brings together the industries like steel, iron, alumina and cement, researchers, and the government to develop new technologies for decarbonisation. In alumina refining, HILT focuses on decarbonising digestion and calcination - the two processes that account for maximum gas emissions from refineries. For EGA as well, these two processes are the biggest decarbonisation challenge at the Al Taweelah refinery. EGA is HILT’s first industry partner outside...
Green Earth Recycle can be deemed the first closed-loop solar module recycler and was approached by the McCarthy Building Companies and EDF Renewables to replace and recycle end-of-life solar panels from the Arrow Canyon Solar Project in Apex, Nevada. Southern Nevada-based new minority-owned DBE-attested recycling firm, Green Earth Recycle, is pushing the country toward renewable or solar energy while promoting its recycling services. The USA has seen a rise in the demand for solar installations in the past few years, which has led enthusiasts to chart out profound protocols to safeguard against industrial waste outflow and promote the recycling of materials. The president of Green Earth Recycle, Tim Brown, notified: “We are very excited about this award and the opportunity to divert...
An Italian start-up brand PSTV Motorcycles (Positive Motorcycles), has posted the first look of its prototype prepared for further R&D and public scrutiny. The construction of EGERA resonates with the company’s commitment to sustainability since it uses aluminium and natural fibre as base materials. PSTV’s prototype EGERA sports an indigenously developed electric liquid-cooled engine and sturdy regenerative brakes. The battery permits a range of 100km, making the model extremely useful for short weekend trips or casual activities. In a quest to make the bike models sustainable and eco-friendly, the company has incorporated natural fibres and aluminium to make its robust framework. All bike components, including fibre or aluminium items, have been sourced and created locally in Italy. The...
Runaya, India’s first and the world’s second zero-waste, zero-discharge aluminium processing facility, has estimated to have an eightfold growth in the next two years, attributed to portfolio expansion from aluminium to copper and zinc. As per the report, the Mumbai-based startup, with a key focus on sustainability and innovation, has planned to boost metals waste processing capacity from the current 40,000 tonnes to 300,000 tonnes by March 31, 2025, said co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Annanya Agarwal in an interview with Bloomberg Television. He added revenue might double this year to $100 million. “We started Runaya with the vision that sustainability will be the largest driver of profitability for the resources sector in the years to come,” Agarwal said. “We want to enable the...
For the third consecutive year, an aluminium architectural systems research, development, and production company, Alumil S.A., is on "The Most Sustainable Companies in Greece 2023" list as one of the 35 leading companies that create the Charter of Sustainable Development and Responsible Entrepreneurship in Greece. Alumil has its headquarters in Stavrochori Kilkis, Greece and operates worldwide with over 30 subsidiaries. On Thursday, March 30, the Quality Net Foundation, a specialized organization in sustainable development initiatives, announced the results at the Goulandris Natural History Museum. Participating companies were evaluated based on their environmental, social, and corporate governance performance on ESG criteria. Upon evaluation, an Independent Jury included 35 distinguished...
Companies are doing their bit to move towards a sustainable environment, and in this journey, aluminium is considered the ultimate choice for most companies. From April 1, the Netherlands plans to include steel and aluminium beverage cans in its deposit return programme. On April 4, 2023, Alcoa stated that specific grades of non-metallurgical alumina will now be included in the company's low-carbon alumina brand EcoSource™. The celebrated designer Satyajit Vetoskar spoke to students at IIGJ in Mumbai about repurposing outdated materials in new goods and his recently launched jewellery line composed of gold and leftover airline aluminium. To get hybrid renewable power for its aluminium operations in Chhattisgarh, BALCO and Serentica Renewables India Private (SRIPL) inked a Power Delivery...
Hotpack Global, hailing from UAE, has declared its ambitions to construct the world's biggest sustainable packaging plant in Saudi Arabia. The unit will encompass an area of 2.4 million square feet, and the complete materialisation of the project would take seven years, that too with a wholesome investment of SAR1 billion. A memorandum of Understanding or MoU was forged between the concerned parties, allocating the investment through the Kingdom's Ministry of Investment and the Ministry of Industry. The agreement was finalised during the ceremony organised at Riyadh's Ministry of Investment headquarters. Among important personalities were the deputy minister of industry and minerals, the deputy minister of investment, the group managing director and CEO of Hotpack and other senior...
The state of Iowa has allotted US$2 million in funding to upgrade the water infrastructure at Arconic’s facilities in Riverdale. This can be regarded as one of the five awarded grants deployed by the state sanctuary. Arconic has calculated this upgradation might decrease water withdrawal by over 77 per cent, propelling water conservation efforts initiated by the company. The company will receive an assimilated sum of US$2,205,277 for reverse osmosis solutions and water filtration systems to revitalise wastewater generated during production. The Iowa state funding will suffice for half of the US$4.4 million endeavour. As soon as Arconic optimises the new water units, it will exponentially lower the amount of freshwater intake (also termed as water withdrawal) by almost 77 per cent....
Satyajit Vetoskar, the awarded designer , spoke to students at IIGJ in Mumbai about the art of reusing old materials in new products and his newly unveiled jewellery line made out of gold and scrap aluminium from aeroplanes. He was invited to speak to senior jewellery design students in a session titled "Afterlife" about developing sustainable designs. Mr Vetoskar, an engineer and industrial designer, recently created a priceless jewellery collection using gold and aluminium recovered from decommissioned aircraft. He discussed the creation of his collection Shourai, (which in Japanese means future that is known), as well as how he combined pieces made of aluminium and gold, why he added diamonds to the sides of each piece, how scrap aluminium was polished, why the presentation boxes were...
The progressive trade association dedicated to advancing the effective use of aluminium extrusion in North America, the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC), has released its updated Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for Aluminum Extrusions and the corresponding Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). The Council has also made available a sensitivity analysis that demonstrates to product specifiers how they might impact the carbon footprint of the products they specify. These EPDs for the aluminium extrusion industry document the environmental performance of aluminium extrusions manufactured in the United States and Canada. They are based on a thorough analysis of the inputs and outputs of eight extruders that are members of the AEC and have been certified by UL Environmental. The study covered 30...
BALCO and Serentica Renewables India Private (SRIPL) signed a Power Delivery Agreement (PDA) to obtain hybrid renewable electricity for its aluminium operations in Chhattisgarh. BALCO will own 26 per cent of the stock in the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), and the project will be financed at a debt-to-equity ratio of 70:30. Construction of the hybrid energy project will follow a captive paradigm and a build-own-operate philosophy. The PDA will be in effect for 25 years starting on the project's launching date. After signing the PDA, the SPV should begin supplying electricity in 24 months. According to Vedanta, this will aid in ensuring a steady electricity supply for the aluminium industry from renewable energy sources. "BALCO has entered into a Power Delivery Agreement (PDA) to source 105...
