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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Rio Tinto eyes up potential buyers for Lochaber aluminium smelter
Potential buyers have come forward for Rio Tinto Alcan’s Lochaber operations, which have been under threat since January. It was revealed this week that the company is "assessing prospective partners, investors and buyers" for the plant, which employs around 150 people. At the beginning of the year...
Century reaches new market-based power agreement for Mt. Holly Smelter
Century Aluminum Company announced today that it has renegotiated a market-based agreement with a third-party supplier to provide approximately 75 per cent of the power requirements for the Mt. Holly, South Carolina smelter. The remaining 25 per cent of Mt. Holly's power requirement will continue...
Nexan makes near-invisible green coloured aluminium conductor for Norwegian Nature Reserve
Statnett, Norway’s state owned power system operator, has energised 68 km of Nexans’ green coloured aluminium conductors on its new overhead transmission line connecting central Norway to western Norway. The line will secure the supply of power in the region. Nexans’ coloured conductors have been...
Wintec Aluminium simplifies specification of energy efficiency for Australian households
Wintec Aluminium Windows and Doors Australia has developed a wide range of functional and stylish WERS rated windows designed to meet the high demands for energy efficiency and weather performance. Utilising modern design, quality seals and hardware componentry, Wintec aluminium framed window and...
POWER Engineers help AEP replace 240 circuit-miles line with energinzed aluminium conductor
POWER Engineers Inc. has helped American Electric Power successfully complete the longest replacement of energized conductor (with aluminium composite core) in the United States and bring more reliable power to the residents of South Texas. Now that landmark project has earned AEP the electric...
Strong USD, weak fuel prices and bauxite barter lead to lower operating costs at alumina refineries
CRU's recently published Alumina Cost Service, 2016 Edition examines the key themes which had a significant effect on the alumina industry in 2015, including the main drivers behind the significant decrease in world average site costs. Three key themes emerged as particularly notable, including the...
South Africa's City Power to replace copper cables with aluminium cables to curb cable theft
In an effort to address the growing frustration of the residents over the recent bout of power outages, City Power, the electricity provider of South Africa, has developed a contingency plan that would help curb both cable theft and network overloads. City Power acting spokesperson, Yumna Sheik...
Inner Mongolia to deepen coal-electricity-aluminium industry chain
Coal-electricity-aluminium industry has been booming in Holingola city, Inner Mongolia, one of China’s major aluminium producing regions, in recent years thanks to rich coal resources there, reported industry sources. The city hosted 148 coal-electricity-aluminium projects during the 2011-2015,...
New Access Fixtures introduces 16w LED bollard light with cast aluminium louvers
Access Fixtures, an industry leader in LED commercial, industrial, and sports lighting, announced the introduction of a new 16 watt LED stainless steel bollard light with cast aluminium louvers. Bollard lights with louver-controlled light sources are favored for their ability to limit light...
Aluminium alloys in shipbuilding – a fast growing trend
Trends in shipbuilding have become similar to those in the automobile industry in recent years and the growing demand for automobiles, heavy duty vehicles, aircrafts, trains and ships is also set to significantly spur demand for aluminium flat rolled and extruded products. In fact, the use of...
T&T Govt agrees to restart Alutech aluminium downstream project
Three months after Sural officials visited T&T to lobby Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to restart its Alutech aluminium downstream project, a board chaired by Prof Ken Julien has been set up to review options for the project which was originally linked to the Alutrint Smelter in La Brea. The Energy...
Australian company buys 50% stake in “game-changing” aluminium-graphene battery storage technology
Australian energy technology company LWP Technologies has bought a 50 per cent share in a new, graphene-based battery storage technology that the ASX-listed company believes could “change energy markets and the way the world commutes.” The $1.6 million deal, described by LWP on Wednesday as a...
Meridian hopes NZAS will decide to close the energy deal for its Tiwai Point smelter
On a recent investor day at Meridian Energy, the Government-controlled company said it expected ongoing talks with New Zealand Aluminium Smelters, which operates the Tiwai Point smelter. NZAS' financial performance was in line with Meridian expectations and Meridian believed NZAS was cashflow...
Alro invests $53 mln in increasing energy and equipment efficiency
Alro, the largest aluminium producer in Continental Europe (excluding Russia and Scandinavia) has an investment program of over USD 53 million, for 2016, focused on increasing energy and equipment efficiency and on expanding portfolio, increasing competitiveness and product quality. The general...
Hazardous aluminium waste can be converted into fuel-grade carbon
Nagpur-based JNARDDC develops detoxifying process that destroys 98 per cent of cyanide from the aluminium waste and converts it into Carbon that can be used in place of coal. Dealing with hazardous waste, especially destroying cyanide contents from Spent Pot Lining (SPL), was a cause of concern for...
Vedanta may bid for coal mines to ensure fuel security for its aluminium plants
Vedanta is planning to acquire coal mines via auctions as the mining conglomerate seeks to ensure fuel security for its energy guzzling aluminium plants. “Numerous initiatives are being taken to meet our coal requirements. We will source our overall coal mix from low-cost imports and auctioned coal...
Global HVDC capacitor market to grow at 15% to reach $4.36 bln by 2020
Global HVDC capacitor market is forecasted to grow at 15.19 per cent CAGR and reach $4.36 billion by 2020. The rising demand for electricity has placed huge pressure on the current power generation infrastructure. Besides power generation, transmission loss is also one of the key concerns because...
Alba adds value to its customer by conducting SHE Training
Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), one of the leading international aluminium smelters with a strong reputation for workplace safety, is conducting a series of safety, health & environment (SHE) workshops for one of its established clients - Aluminium Products Company (ALUPCO), Kingdom of Saudi...
