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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China to add 1 million-tpy aluminum capacity in Q2, SMM sees
Close to 2 million-tpy new aluminum capacity entered production in China from November through Q1, and an additional 1 million-tpy is about to come online in Q2, Shanghai Metals Market foresees. Falling power costs is the main incentive behind the aggressive expansions. The weighted average cash...
Sincap signs MoU to acquire Orion Energy
Singapore-listed Sincap Group Limited, which trades alumina and thermal coal, and is also involved in property development, has signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire Orion Energy Resources. Orion too is a Singapore-incorporated company and is engaged in mineral trading and logistics...
Production of primary aluminium dwindles in South America
The recent announcement of Alumar smelter shutdown, the fifth and largest smelter to be decommissioned since 2009, has hammered another nail into the coffin of South America’s dying aluminium industry. The three potlines at Alumar had been systematically shut down starting in 2013 and ending a few...
Worsley Alumina might need to import coal as Griffin fails to provide
Worsley Alumina plant looking to import coal via Bunburry Port as their current coal provider, Griffin Coal grows increasingly more unreliable. Griffin Coal has been suffering for some time and Cockburn Cement is already a victim of the failing coal provider and has resorted to importing their...
Hydro signs long-term power contract for Karmøy pilot
Norwegian aluminium company Norsk Hydro ASA’s fully owned subsidiary Hydro Energi AS has signed a long-term power contract with Axpo Trading AG, a Switzerland-based energy company with captive power production and international trading activity, for annual supply of 0.25 terrawatt hours (TWh) over...
Aluminum Association suggests aluminium to achieve new federal energy efficiency standards
After the White House issued a plan to reduce energy use in federal buildings by 2.5% per year from 2015 to 2025, Aluminum Association released a statement stating how aluminium can be used to achieve this target. The motivation to reduce energy consumption in buildings is strong as many private...
Alcoa receives $259 million U.S. loan to expand aluminum output
The U.S. Department of Energy has agreed to lend Alcoa Inc. $259 million to expand automotive aluminum sheet production capacity at the supplier’s Tennessee factory, reviving a long-dormant loan program to support the development of energy-efficient vehicles. The funds will finance most of the...
RET talks break down again between Federal Government and the Opposition
Talks between the Federal Government and the Opposition on the Renewable Energy Target have broken down again. The target is for 20 per cent of Australia's energy mix to come from renewable sources, like wind and solar, by 2020. Both parties agree the target is now too high because energy demand in...
Emirates Global Aluminium shines in Germany
Emirates Global Aluminium ("EGA"), one of the world's five largest primary aluminium producers, has again received international recognition for its commitment to excellence through continual improvement and innovation. This time, the accolade took the form of the DeutscherIdeenPreis 2015 - Ideas...
Noranda, consumer parties reach agreement on allocation of Ameren Missouri electricity rates
Noranda Aluminum Holding Corporation announced it has joined in a rate design agreement with consumer groups in the Missouri Public Service Commission ("PSC") general electricity rate case for Ameren Missouri. The consumer agreement remains subject to approval by the PSC as part of the Ameren rate...
Tomago aluminium pushes for a final call on RET
As the fate of RET still remains in the dark, Tomago Aluminium is making fresh attempts to urge the MPs and senators to reach a final decision on the case soon requesting a 100 percent exemption for the aluminium industry to be effective from January 1, 2015. The energy-intensive aluminium industry...
Hydro signs contract for engineering design of Karmøy technology pilot
Hydro has entered into a contract with Multiconsult for engineering services for the planned pilot plant at Karmøy. The Karmøy pilot aims to verify the world's most energy and climate efficient electrolysis technology. The contract covers the engineering design of demolition work, a new potroom,...
Alcoa continues transforming upstream portfolio, announces strategic review of smelting and refining capacity
Lightweight metals leader Alcoa today announced that it is continuing to aggressively transform its upstream portfolio to create a lower cost, globally competitive commodity business. The Company said over the next twelve months it will review 500,000 metric tons of smelting capacity and 2.8...
Alcoa enters a new gas supply agreement with Santos
Alcoa today welcomed the announcement of a new gas supply agreement with Santos. Commencing in 2018, the five-year agreement to supply natural gas to Alcoa’s Western Australian alumina refineries will meet 18 per cent of Alcoa’s WA gas requirements. “We hope this agreement will lead to other gas...
Clean Energy Council keen to clear air on RET
Protracted negotiations on the future of the Renewable Energy Target could be on the verge of a breakthrough with the Clean Energy Council in talks with Labor and the government on a deal. After Labor rejected the government’s latest offer on Monday, the CEC has made it known it is keen for a deal...
Rio Tinto slashes job in a cost-cutting drive
Rio Tinto Plc said on Friday that in its latest moves to slash costs in response to weak commodity prices it was letting go its energy chief, rolling its coal and uranium businesses into two other units and cutting some other corporate jobs. Rio's coal mines in Australia will be folded into the...
Carbon tax repeal raised energy prices: Alumina
Alcoa's Australian assets have faced higher energy costs since the carbon tax was repealed, in revelations that challenge one of the primary criticisms of the controversial scheme. The higher energy costs were revealed on Thursday by Alcoa's local joint venture partner, Alumina Limited, which said...
EAA Director General supports the need for an urgent ETS reform
In response to today’s vote in the European Parliament’s ENVI Committee on the ETS Market Stability Reserve, Director-General of the European Aluminium Association Gerd Götz issues the following statement: “We strongly support today’s acknowledgement from a wide spectrum of political groups and...
