Coal-heavy Australian aluminium vs renewables-led New Zealand: How Oceania is balancing decarbonisation
Oceania’s primary aluminium industry is facing a fragmented energy transition. While Australia, the leading aluminium producer of the continent, has abundant renewable resources and a well-established aluminium value chain, its smelters remain significantly more dependent on fossil-fuel-based...
Can the US afford to cut Canada off? 75% aluminium and $100b energy tell the story
The US aluminium industry’s dependence on Canada extends far beyond primary aluminium imports. While Canada supplies around 75 per cent of US imported primary aluminium, covering roughly 60 per cent of the country’s annual aluminium usage, it is also a major supplier of crude oil, natural gas and...
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Aluminium production reaches new high
Global aluminium production reached a new high in March despite cuts to capacity by the biggest manufacturers. Companies such as Alcoa, Rusal and Rio Tinto have been shutting smelters over the past two years in an effort to tackle oversupply, as depressed prices continue to weigh on the industry....
China’s new power transmission lines down 38% in March
The length of power transmission lines of and above 220 kV newly built in March slid 38% from a year ago, Shanghai Metals Market learnt. In March, 2,793 kilometers of power lines of 220-kV and above were constructed, while the country’s power grid investment increased 3% year-on-year to 26 billion...
Aluminium giant EGA highlights efficiency gains at WETEX 2014
UAE-based aluminium giant Emirates Global Aluminium PJSC ("EGA"), one of the strategic sponsors of the annual Water Energy Technology and Environment Exhibition ("WETEX") 2014, says its efforts to improve operating efficiencies through technological innovation are paying off handsomely, as...
Alro Slatina invested over USD 100 million in environment related projects
Alro SA, one of the largest aluminium producers in Central and Eastern Europe, implements, continuously programmes for increasing the overall efficiency of the Company. Over the past 10 years, following investments worth USD 500 million, out of which USD 100 million in environment projects, the...
Odisha government may reject Vedanta's plea to use IPP power for smelter
The Odisha government is unlikely to consider the plea of Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL) to use power generated by Sterlite Energy Ltd, also a Vedanta Group firm, to run its smelter complex at Jharsuguda. The company had argued that since Odisha had turned power surplus, sparing 600 Mw out of...
Bosnia's Aluminij again faces the risk of closure over debt to EPHZHB utility
Aluminij Mostar, an aluminium smelter located in Bosnian is facing the risk of closure again after the electric supply to the smelter was proposed to cut off by a state-owner electric supply company due to its increasing debt. In late March, EPHZHB, the power provider failed to collect nearly 100...
Powerdyne International, Inc. announces memorandum of understanding with Silver City Aluminum Company
Powerdyne International, Inc., a manufacturing company that builds and leases electrical generation equipment, today announced it has finalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Silver City Aluminum Company in Taunton, MA. The MOU calls for Powerdyne International to manufacture two 500 kw...
Chalco to suspend 600,000-tpy aluminum capacity & 800,000-tpy alumina capacity
Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco) has announced that it would halt 600,000-tpy of the total capacity of aluminium production and 800,000-tpy of the total alumina capacity as there is a severe overcapacity in the alumunium industry. The company has planned to adopt “flexible production” in...
Nalco’s Damanjodi refinery gets ISO 50001: 2011 certification
National Aluminium Company’s [NALCO] alumina Refinery located at Damanjodi in Koraput district of Odisha has got ISO 50001:2011 ‘Energy Management System certification’ by M/s. DNV-GL of Netherland. The refinery has been accorded this certification based on its highly energy efficient measures...
UC RUSAL plans to switch to gas as main energy source at Aughinish alumina refinery
UC RUSAL is set to complete a project to switch the Aughinish alumina refinery, Europe’s largest alumina producer, from heavy fuel oil to gas as its main energy source. The two steam generators designed to generate a total of 300 tonnes per hour of reliable, high-pressure superheated steam will...
Project to boost Sohar Aluminium output
Sohar Aluminium, Oman's biggest non-hydrocarbon industrial venture, has approved plans for the implementation of a productivity optimisation project that will boost output by a significant 28,000 tonnes of primary aluminium annually. The so-called 'Amperage Creep' project is one of two important...
Global aluminum industry to summit in Montreal, Canada for conference
Media representatives are invited to attend a press conference with Jean Simard, President of the Aluminum Association of Canada, and three leaders from major Quebec smelters, namely André Martel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aluminerie Alouette; Martin Brière, President of Alcoa Canada...
Biomass plant plans for Anglesey Aluminium move forward
Plans to build a large biomass plant and eco park on the site of the former Anglesey Aluminium works near Holyhead have taken an important step forward. The UK government has approved design changes to the proposals by Chester-based Lateral Power. Plans for a biomass plant at the site were first...
Aluminium RET exemption threatens others: AiG
The Australian Industry Group is pushing back on the aluminium sector's call for a full exemption from the Renewable Energy Target, arguing it could lift power costs for other large electricity users, Carbon and Environment Daily reports. According to the website, the alumininum sector already...
BHP Billition resumes negotiation on an aluminum contract with Eskom
BHP Billiton has resumed their negotiations on an aluminum contract with Eskom in Richard Bay after a few days just before National Energy Regulator (Nersa) was about to start their hearing process which would have resulted in the contract cancellation. According to reports, BHP Billiton wants to...
Sapa’s aluminium building systems to exhibit at Nordbygg 2014
Nordbygg is the largest building and construction exhibition in Scandinavia. Two of Sapa’s aluminium building systems brands will present the latest in energy-efficient solutions and customer support tools at Nordbygg 2014. While the Wicona brand will feature several new communication tools and a...
Noranda Aluminum confronts Ameren on electricity prices
Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation is at logger heads with electricity suppliers as it seeks lesser electric rates to sustain the employment of the nearly 888 people it employs at is smelter located in New Madrid. Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation has laid down the price bargains with Ameren...
Aluminum producers expect Brazil to ration power within a year
Brazilian aluminum companies, producing at the lowest level in 12 years amid high power costs and metal price declines, expect authorities to ration supply as a drought curbs hydroelectric generation in the country. Rationing is “almost certain” within a year, Tito Martins Jr., chairman of the...
