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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ALSCON to inject 360MW into National Grid
In order to boost electricity supply in the country, the current operator of the nation’s premier Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, UC RUSAL, has affirmed its readiness to inject approximately 360 mega watt annually to the national grid. However, the...
Meridian Energy shares could get a boost by the National victory in the polls
Meridian Energy and other power company shares could get a boost if a National victory in the next election looks more certain, an analyst says. Another analyst warns potential investors in Meridian that power companies face a range of uncertainties and volatile profits, and were not necessarily...
National Manufacturing Day highlights role of recycling
The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) joins in the nationwide celebration of National Manufacturing Day by highlighting the many positive economic contributions of the industry to the U.S. manufacturing landscape. Each year, more than 135 million metric tons of metal, paper, plastic,...
GECOL plans to replace copper with a cheaper aluminium cables
In an effort to deter thieves who have been cutting electricity lines in order to steal the copper cable and sell it, the electricity company GECOL says it plans to replace copper with a cheaper aluminium alternative in the hope of ending the thefts. Aluminium is highly conductive and is used in...
Rio Tinto Alcan recommends competitive energy rates to facilitate growth
Rio Tinto Alcan recommends that energy prices be made more competitive to bolster the growth of the aluminium industry in Quebec. During the Public Consultation on Energy Issues in Quebec, Rio Tinto Alcan proposed that Quebec's new energy policy must affirm the province's resolution to offer...
Ormet to close Ohio aluminum smelter immediately
Ormet Corp will immediately close its 270,000-tonne-per-year aluminum smelter in Hannibal, Ohio, a casualty of historically low metal prices and "uncontrollable" power costs, the company said on Friday. The move follows a ruling on Wednesday by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), which...
Vedanta expects scaling up India power generation capacity to 10,000 Mw in a year
London-listed metals and mining conglomerate Vedanta Resources Plc expects its operational power generation capacity in India to jump by over a half to 10,000 Megawatt (MW) within a year. The $15 billion group is hopeful of bringing three operation-ready projects on stream shortly, completing its...
Ohio Public Utilities Commission approves modified Ormet power deal
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio voted on Wednesday to approve Ormet Corp's revised power deal with energy supplier American Electric Power Co Inc, saving the U.S. aluminum producer from likely closure. The commission added, however, that it was modifying parts of Hannibal, Ohio-based...
Slovak aluminium producer Slovalco, power producer SE agree on electricity supply deal
Slovak aluminium producer Slovalco and the country's dominant power producer Slovenske Elektrarne (SE) have reached an agreement on a new electricity supply contract, an important step towards keeping the aluminium smelter afloat, Pravda daily reported. Under the new contract, SE will supply a...
Quebec aluminum producers seek lower energy costs
Relying on hydroelectric power, the nine aluminum smelters in Quebec have reduced their carbon footprint to “the lowest in the world,” an industry spokesman told a provincial government commission studying energy options on Monday. But “a green ingot gives the industry nothing,” Jean Simard,...
Nalco to invest INR 33,000 cr for diversification and expansion
Unveiling a new plan for high growth through diversification and expansion, aluminium giant Nalco is set to invest more than INR 33,000 crore in a host of sectors including energy to boost its productivity and profitability. "NALCO is embarking upon an ambitious growth plan involving a massive...
“Infrastructure, Electrification and Downstream Applications to Boost the Aluminium Market in India”
<p><strong>“On a longer term, I’m still very bullish about the Indian market... There are two things that will boost the aluminium market: one is India’s focus on electrification and infrastructure and second is when companies like Hindalco will develop the downstream capacities...
Hydro and Agder Energi sign LOI to establish a joint venture to develop Otra assets
Hydro and Agder Energi have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the possible establishment of a jointly owned company to operate and further develop their combined assets in the Otra River, southern Norway, where Hydro recently acquired the Vigelands Brug hydropower plant. The LoI is conditional on...
Meridian Energy unaffected by Tiwai shutdown
A potential shutdown of the Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter would barely dent the value of Meridian Energy, but Labour/Green electricity reforms would take a big bite out of the power giant. A new research report suggests the value of Meridian shares would fall just 2 cents if the smelter shut down,...
INFINIUM demonstrates new clean, low cost aluminum production technology
INFINIUM announced today a breakthrough in aluminum production using its patented Pure Oxygen Anode technology, providing dramatic advantages over century-old technology used throughout the world. The company has successfully and repeatedly demonstrated its process for primary production of...
China's construction of UHV power lines to boost demand for aluminium wire, cable
China’s planned construction of ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power grid will keep demand robust for aluminium wire and cable before 2017, Shanghai Metals Market foresees. China is already building, or has approved, more than half of a $100 billion network of high-voltage power lines to connect remote...
The sale of shares in Meridian Energy, New Zealand will raise only the bare minimum
New Zealand's Finance Minister said plans to sell a slew of state companies will likely raise only the bare minimum as the government priced the country's biggest-ever initial public stock offering at up to a third below estimates. The sale of shares in Meridian Energy Ltd , New Zealand's biggest...
Giles goes to Rio to keep Gove alumina refinery open
Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles met Rio Tinto this week to outline gas supply options to keep its Gove alumina refinery open, as he called on the global miner to "back the Northern Territory". Mr Giles said that at the meeting on Monday he offered gas to the company, including supply...
