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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Romanian aluminium producer Alro to construct a natural gas fired power plant along with Complexul Energetic Oltenia in Işalnița
According to the Romanian aluminium producer, Alro SA, one of the largest vertically integrated aluminium producers in Europe, measured by production capacity, the company was declared a "selected investor" following a public tender organized by Complexul Energetic Oltenia (CEO) to build a natural...
Eurometaux elects Evangelos Mytilineos as its new President
The chief executive of Greek aluminium and energy company MYTILINEOS, Evangelos Mytilineos, has been elected as the President of Eurometaux (Europe’s metals association) at the association’s General Assembly. He succeeds Mikael Staffas, CEO of Boliden, who has held this post since October 2018. Guy...
Solar energy bolsters sustainability and environmental programs at 3D Aluminium
The UK's leading installer of solar energy systems for companies, Centreco, has accomplished the development of a 35kW solar panel system for 3D Aluminium on their premises in Oxford, a city in central southern England. A total of 93 rooftop tier-one panels have been installed to support the...
Energy prices forcing German aluminium manufacturers to cut production, lack of state aid may worsen the situation
The silvery metal aluminium has unblocked new dimensions in the last decades, as endless objects that can be simplified and upgrade the quality of daily human life are relatively made from aluminium. Aluminium is essential in converting to a climate-friendly economy. Electric vehicles, renewable...
Alcoa signs PPA with Endesa to reopen the San Ciprián aluminium smelter
On Thursday, September 6, Alcoa Corporation announced a new power purchase agreement (PPA) with Endesa to facilitate reopening the San Ciprián aluminium smelter in Spain. Endesa is a well-known power provider in Spain and a division of the Enel Group. From 2024 through at least 2030, the agreement...
Mitsubishi Power secured a long-term service agreement from Alba to ensure reliable power supply
On 3rd October 2022, Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (M.H.I.), announced that it had inked a long-term service agreement (LTSA) with Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the first aluminium smelter in the Middle East. Parts, repairs, and services are...
Energy crisis forcing Slovenia's aluminium producer Talum to axe its production
On 29 th September 2022, the Slovenian aluminium producer Talum, also one of the leading energy-consuming industries in the country, declared that the company had decided to reduce its primary aluminium production w.e.f 1 st October 2022 due to the energy crisis. Europe is facing a massive energy...
Anti-dumping measures sought by the French aluminium industry over Spain's cheap electric supply
In response to rising energy prices, Europe's aluminium plants started shutting down, while Russia and China increased imports. The Iberian gas price cap, supported by the EU, is allegedly causing unfair competition, according to representatives of the French aluminium industry, who are also...
Falling aluminium demand causes Hydro to partially curtail production at its Karmøy facility
Falling demand for aluminium billets in Europe due to the adverse European economic condition and rising energy prices has caused the Norwegian aluminium smelter to partially reduce its aluminium production in Hydro Karmøy and Hydro Husnes. The choice will result in a reduction in annual primary...
EGA inks agreement to join UAE hydrogen leadership initiative in support of decarbonization efforts
The world's largest premium aluminium producer, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), has joined the UAE hydrogen leadership initiative program by signing an agreement with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. Launched last year during Cop26 in Glasgow, the initiative seeks to achieve the...
EC energy measures are welcome but inadequate to save the aluminium industry survive winter: European Aluminium
The voice of the aluminium industry in Europe, European Aluminium, appraises the emergency measures proposed by the European Commission on the 14th of September and welcomes the first step to address the extremely high energy prices. However, the aluminium industry association signifies that these...
Greek aluminium producer Elvalhalcor explores switching to LPG as a way to restrict energy bills
The Greek leader in aluminium and copper production, Elvalhalcor, is evaluating the changeover from fossil fuel (natural gas) to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to help hinder its escalating power bill, as stated by the company on 14th September 2022. Spyros Kokkolis, the CFO, said, "Elvalhalcor has...
Sodium alumina solid-state batteries by CERENERGY®, a game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries
A JV agreement has been signed between Altech and Fraunhofer IKTS to commercialize the CERENERGY® sodium alumina solid-state battery technology. Altech Chemicals believes that CERENERGY® batteries are the revolutionary grid storage alternative to lithium-ion batteries. This agreement will enable...
China’s domestic operating rates of molten aluminium casting billet plants decline in August to 67.84%
After remaining stable through the first half of 2022, operating rates of China’s molten aluminium casting billet enterprises declined in July and August, attributing to the decline in orders from downstream aluminium extruders, recurrence of the COVID-19, and power rationing in some areas. SMM...
Yunnan orders aluminium producers to reduce power usage in the coming weeks
Rising energy prices continue to affect China. As per the reports, Yunnan, a province in southwest China instructed aluminium producers to use less energy this week. Although local prices have not been significantly affected, Yunnan's move indicates that rising energy prices greatly influence the...
Final closure of Alro Slatina's operations may occur by May 2023: Constantin Popescu
The President of the Free Aluminum Union within Alro Slatina, Constantin Popescu stated that it is possible that Romanian aluminium producer Alro Slatina will cease operations by May 2023. Alro runs its operations with around 2000 employees. He referred to high energy prices as the primary cause of...
“Digitization is an essential tool for utilizing data streams which make the process more efficient, reduce energy consumption and contribute to our sustainability objectives”, Geir Sandnes, Head of Digital Production Support, Technology & Operational Support at Hydro Aluminium Metal
Geir Sandnes heads Hydro Aluminium Metal's Digital Production Support, Technology, and Operational Support department. Before starting this role, he was part of the management team in Hydro Corporate IT with responsibility for the Digital Center of Excellence and Digital Plant Products across the...
Hindalco's 25 MW solar plant in Singrauli district started producing electricity, paving the way toward low-carbon aluminium production
Hindalco Industries, India's leading aluminium producer, has begun generating electricity from a 25 MW solar plant in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, in addition to a captive power plant (CPP) at its Mahan facilities. As part of the ceremony, Mahan Aluminium's President, Senthil Nath, inaugurated the...
