Primary Aluminium

The primary aluminium production process is energy-intensive. In its efforts to make energy use more efficient, the industry has a long tradition of self-improvement with respect to both energy consumption and its related environmental performance parameters.

Average energy consumption and subsequent emissions per tonne of production have fallen by more than 70% over the past hundred years. Progress is being made towards a 10% smelting energy efficiency objective by 2010 compared to 1990, through improvements in technology such as hardware, software and operational practices. Further scope for greater energy efficiency gains also exist in process areas other than electrolysis, such as anode production, alumina refining and primary ingot casting.

At least 55 per cent of the world's primary aluminium is produced using hydro-electric power which is clean, non polluting and renewable. Hydroelectric dams and their related aluminium smelters tend to be situated in remote areas, and therefore provide economic activity where there would otherwise be none. Other aluminium smelters are located in areas where there is historically a natural surplus of energy for which there is insufficient economic local use.

Aluminium in use

In use, aluminium products are inherently energy-saving because of their low weight and corrosion resistant nature. When aluminium uses are fully exploited in a vehicle’s design, car manufacturers and others estimate fuel economy savings (for today’s average vehicles) that range from 5 to 10% for ever 10% reduction in vehicle weight.

 

As an energy bank

Aluminium is also an "energy bank" as most of the original input can be recovered again and again every time the product is recycled – and it can be recycled infinitely. The use of recycled metal in any aluminium product results in an energy saving of up to 95 per cent over the use of primary metal.

 

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