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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The Qatalum smelter in Qatar produces 585,000 Tonnes of aluminium each Year
The Qatalum smelter in Qatar is the largest, highest output aluminium smelter in the world. With a mind-boggling 704 individual smelting pots, it produces upwards of 585,000t of aluminium each year. That’s a lot of Coke cans. The Qatalum smelter was built in 2009 by the ABB company out of Auburn...
Italy says Glencore request for cheap power for Alcoa plant not acceptable
Italy said on Thursday it could not accept requests to provide deeply discounted energy prices to Swiss commodities trader Glencore if it were to agree to purchase the Italian smelter being closed by U.S. aluminium maker Alcoa. In a statement, the Italian Industry Ministry said Glencore's request...
Germany's insolvent Voerde Aluminium to continue production
Creditors of insolvent German aluminium plant Voerde Aluminium have voted for it to continue production at least until the end of this year while the search for a buyer continues, Voerde's administrator said on Thursday. The Voerde smelter, which produces 115,000 tonnes of aluminium annually,...
Alcoa and U.S. Department of Energy commissions the modernization project at the Cheoah hydroelectric dam
Alcoa and U.S. Department of Energy officials yesterday commissioned the $110 million modernization project at Cheoah Dam in Robbinsville, NC, one of four hydroelectric dams that make up Alcoa Power Generating Inc.'s Tapoco Project. The modernization effort has increased the dam's efficiency and...
Petition seeks electricity rate subsidy for Ormet Corp.
Supporters of Ormet Corp. have delivered a 156-page petition with 2,566 signatures to Gov. John Kasich’s office, asking him to intervene to help the aluminum smelter avoid layoffs tied to a recent electricity-rate increase. Ormet, located near Hannibal, has warned that most of its roughly 1,000...
DUBAL lead sponsor in World Energy Forum 2012
Dubai Aluminium DUBAL the wholly state-owned corporation that operates a one million metric tonne per annum primary aluminium smelter, one of the world's largest single-site smelters and the largest using pre-bake anode technology is proud to announce that it is a lead sponsor of the World Energy...
Kentucky Smelter to seek power on the open market
A western Kentucky aluminum smelter involved in a rate dispute with Big Rivers Electric Corp. says it plans to purchase power on the open market. State Rep. Tommy Thompson told the Messenger-Inquirer on Friday that Century Aluminum Co., which employs more than 700 workers in the region, had sent...
PSC seeking details on Century Aluminum counter-proposal
The state Public Service Commission on Monday asked for additional detail on its Consumer Advocate Division's counter-proposal in Century Aluminum's special power rate case. The head of the division said he hoped this was a sign the commission was giving thought to alternatives to the controversial...
BHP Billiton power deal will cost heavy on Eskom
After a long time, Eskom has responded to public pleading for information on its sweetheart deal with BHP Billiton to supply cheap power to the Hillside and Mozal aluminium smelters. A few days ago, Eskom chief financial officer Paul O’Flaherty treated the nation to a lesson in modern arithmetic...
EMAL welcomes South Korean Ambassador to the UAE
On the 24th of September 2012, Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) welcomed His Excellency Dr. Tae Kyun Kwon, South Korean Ambassador to the UAE, and senior representatives of Samsung C&T to the smelter, for an “On-Foundation Ceremony” to celebrate the installation of three new gas turbine units for the...
Western Kentucky aluminum smelter to buy power on open market in wake of rate dispute
A western Kentucky aluminum smelter involved in a rate dispute with a regional utility says it plans to purchase power on the open market. State Rep. Tommy Thompson told the Messenger-Inquirer on Friday that Century Aluminum Co., which employs more than 700 workers in the region, had sent the...
New development in the Century Aluminum Power subsidy case
There's a new development in the energy feud between Century Aluminum and Big Rivers Electric. The Hancock County company recently sent a notice to the utility signaling its next move. Big Rivers says it received a notice from Century late last Friday saying that the smelter plans to purchase power...
Eskom may lose R5.5bn over eight years on its below-cost power deal with BHP
Eskom could suffer a loss of up to R5.5bn over the next eight years on its below-cost electricity supply agreement with aluminium giant BHP Billiton, Parliament heard yesterday. In terms of a special pricing agreement with Eskom, which is clouded in secrecy, the world’s biggest resources company by...
ET Business Leader of the Year Award for Anil Agarwal
Economic Times honors Anil Agarwal of Vedanta Group with the Business Leader of the Year Award for 2012. According to ET, the award seeks to honour a leader who has clearly demonstrated a strategic direction for success, and pursued a vision. It is growth in trying times that tilted the balance in...
Ormet Corp wants more power subsidies to avoid layoffs
A large Ohio aluminum manufacturer that has benefited from deep electric-rate subsidies says it needs an even better deal to avoid mass layoffs. Ormet Corp., located near Hannibal in eastern Ohio, has benefited from a unique electric-rate subsidy that has reduced its costs by more than $150 million...
Brazil’s cheap power plan hits the utilities sector while metals and mining companies gain
Brazil’s drive to make electricity less expensive wiped out $6.4 billion in market value for utilities, while making winners of metals and mining companies from Alcoa Inc. (AA) to ArcelorMittal. Electricity is their biggest expense, totaling 40 percent of costs for aluminum producers, according to...
RUSAL invites China to invest in Siberia
Russia's RUSAL, the world's largest aluminium producer, wants Chinese companies to consider investment in Siberia and joining in bauxite exploration overseas, its deputy CEO said on Friday. "RUSAL proposes China consider Siberia as an alternative (to domestic projects)," Oleg Mukhamedshin, head of...
ESKOM is yet to renegotiate contract with BHP Billiton for its Richards Bay smelter
ESKOM is yet to conclude a renegotiated contract with BHP Billiton for the group’s aluminium smelter in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, Eskom spokeswoman Hilary Joffe said on Wednesday. The delay in the conclusion of the deal could be an indication that negotiations between the two companies are...
