EDITORS CHOICE
CHOOSING THE LOW-CARBON ALUMINIUM OPTION FROM ALUPROF
BY WOJCIECH BROŻYNA - MD ALUPROF UK
Climate change , exacerbated by greenhouse gas emissions , presents a profound threat to ecosystems and communities globally . The aluminium production process is particularly intensive in emissions , contributing about 2 % to the total global greenhouse gas emissions . Direct emissions are mainly produced from the energy required for alumina refining and aluminium smelting , whilst indirect emissions are generated along the value chain , including the extraction of raw materials , their transportation and the manufacturing processes involved .
Aluminium is a fundamental component of modern life , used in various applications ranging from infrastructure to transportation and packaging . It is therefore essential to ensure that its production is managed responsibly . Unchecked emissions from aluminium production will significantly contribute to climate change , resulting in increased temperatures , altered weather patterns and a rise in extreme weather events . These changes threaten biodiversity , strain natural resources like water , diminish agricultural yields , and elevate risks to infrastructure , human health , and livelihoods . It is crucial for the aluminium industry to engage in urgent climate action to reduce emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 ° C , thereby averting the most severe impacts of climate change .
A great deal of work has already been done in primary aluminium production , where carbon embodiment has been significantly reduced . According to a 2020 White Paper , ‘ Low-carbon Aluminium , Solution for Sustainable Construction & Renovation ’, primary aluminium from China , which has been as high as 20 CO2e / t ( carbon dioxide emissions equivalent per tonne of aluminium ), drops to an average global production output of primary aluminium of 16.7 CO2e / t . ‘ Low-carbon ’ primary aluminium in 2020 on average was reported as releasing 6.67 CO2e / per tonne of aluminium .
Today , while ‘ low carbon ’ primary aluminium is not formally defined , a carbon footprint of less than 4 CO2e / t is a common reference , representing the very lowest achievable with currently available technologies . This carbon footprint is often referred to as ‘ Cradle to Gate ’. The global aluminium industry has achieved this figure through the use of renewable energy sources such as hydro power and other renewable technologies . Further reductions will soon be possible as the industry begins to adopt emerging green hydrogen technology during the production cycle .
The amount of recycled aluminium utilised worldwide , often termed secondary production , has shown little variation , maintaining a range of 31-33 % since 2000 , with a notable peak of 34 % in 2019 . Given aluminium ’ s high market value , collection rates tend to be robust ; in 2019 , collection rates for new scrap ( pre-consumer ) surpassed 95 %, whilst those for old scrap ( post-consumer ) were just over 70 %. It is vital to continue to improve the collection of post-consumer scrap , as recycling this material is significantly more energy-efficient , requiring only 5 % of the energy needed for primary aluminium production . It is also important to note that aluminium can be recycled many times over without loss of quality .
According to a statement made by the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative ( ASI ) in February 2022 , “ Under a 1.5 degree scenario , the aluminium sector must reduce its GHG ( Green House Gas ) emissions from
Recycled billet
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