Alcoa and Eurasia group release white paper on Economic Competitiveness and the Green Transition

Alcoa Corporation, together with Eurasia Group, today announced the publication of a new white paper, “Competitiveness & Green Transition in the Aluminum Industry: Finding Synergies or Facing Trade-Offs,” which examines the intersection of economic competitiveness and the global green transition in the aluminium industry.

The white paper highlights how aluminium demand is rising across technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles and the transmission projects that support them. At the same time, the industry is working to reduce its own carbon footprint, as a critical player in the global energy transition.

“Aluminum is essential to the world’s low-carbon energy transition, and at the same time has opportunities to improve our own carbon footprint,” said Nicol Gagstetter, Alcoa’s Executive Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer. “This white paper offers a perspective on how the aluminium industry can improve its competitiveness relative to other industries while also addressing the requirements of decarbonisation. Alcoa is pleased to play a part in furthering the industry’s conversation regarding competitiveness and the green transition while also providing the products and technologies necessary to achieve these aspirations.”

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Key Insights

• Balancing competitiveness and decarbonisation: Global industry leaders, including Alcoa, are pursuing ambitious climate ambitions while facing challenges such as high energy costs, supply chain disruptions and shifting policy landscapes.
• Trade and policy dynamics: Implementation of major green policies—including the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)—are expected to reshape trade flows and supply chain decisions, creating both risks and opportunities for aluminium producers.
• Strategic recommendations: The white paper emphasizes circular economy initiatives, deeper supply chain traceability, digital innovation and region-specific strategies as pathways to capture value in the energy transition.

Industry Context Provided by the White Paper

Global investment in the energy transition reached a record USD 2.1 trillion in 2024, with aluminium demand projected to increase 40 per cent by 2030 and 80 per cent by 2050 compared to 2020. Currently, the aluminium sector accounts for approximately 3 per cent of global industrial carbon emissions, underscoring the scale of the challenge and the opportunity for the industry to play a part in the green transition.

The report outlines how investments in circularity, low-carbon technologies and supply chain traceability can help aluminium producers remain competitive in a rapidly changing global marketplace.

Get industry insights from - World Recycled ALuminium Market Analysis Industry forecast to 2032

Alcoa’s Role in Providing Low-Carbon Solutions

Alcoa's Sustana® line offers a comprehensive portfolio of sustainable products, including EcoSource® alumina, EcoLum® primary aluminium and EcoDura® aluminium, featuring properties such as low-carbon emissions and recycled content. Complementing this portfolio is the breakthrough ELYSIS® technology under development, which aims to eliminate direct greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional aluminium smelting process. Together, these innovations showcase how Alcoa is harnessing renewable energy, advancing circular solutions and driving technological progress to accelerate decarbonisation across the aluminium value chain.

“Our vision is to build a legacy of excellence for future generations,” said Ms. Gagstetter. “By sharing this analysis, Alcoa aims to spark dialogue and collaboration across stakeholders including industry, government, and civil society to enable aluminium to continue to be part of the solution to one of the world’s biggest challenges.”

Note: This article has been issued by Alcoa and has been published by AL Circle with its original information without any modifications or edits to the core subject/data.