LONDON – Aluminium companies have launched a raft of aluminium products with lower carbon emissions, largely by either using hydro power or recycled material. Primary aluminium emits on average 16.6 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of metal, according to the International Aluminium Institute, based on 2021 data, making it one of the most carbon-intensive segments of the metals industry. Below are low-carbon aluminium brands by the major producers. * ALCOAECOLUM – Primary aluminium with a total carbon footprint of under 4 tonnes of CO2, including bauxite mining and refining. ECODURA – Aluminium billet made with minimum of 50% recycled content. * NORSKHYDROREDUXA – Two products of primary aluminium, one with carbon content below 4 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of metal and the second below 3 tonnes. This includes emissions from bauxite mining and making products such as alloyed metal. CIRCAL – Two products of recycled metal, one with a minimum of 75% used aluminium and a footprint of less than 2.3 tonnes of CO2, and the other from 100% recycled metal with less than 0.5 tonnes of CO2. * RIOTINTORENEWAL – Primary metal with CO2 emissions of 4 tonnes or less of CO2 per tonne of metal. * RUSALALLOW – Primary metal with a footprint of less than 4 tonnes of CO2, based on direct and indirect smelter emissions only, by using hydropower in Siberia.
* EMIRATESGLOBALALUMINIUM (EGA)
CELESTIAL – EGA markets a brand of primary metal produced with solar power. It produced 39,000 tonnes of solar-powered metal last year, making up 1.5% of total output.
* CENTURYALUMINUM
NATUR-AL – Century markets a low-carbon product with less than 4 tonnes of CO2 made at its plant in Iceland.
* CHINAHONGQIAOGROUP
The Chinese producer has introduced two low-carbon products, HQALoop and HQALight, one made with recycled aluminium and the other from low-carbon aluminium produced in Yunnan using hydro electricity and other renewables.
* ALCOA/RIOTINTOJOINTVENTUREELYSIS – Joint venture between the two groups to commercialise a new technology by 2024 to produce carbon-free aluminium, using a ceramic anode and emitting only oxygen.