Aluminium International Today March April 2024

Sow Drying

Tilting Melter & Holder

Stationary Melter

Patented Delacquering System

Homogenizing & Cooling

Autotapper

Volume 37 No. 2 – March/April 2024

Editorial

Editor: Nadine Bloxsome

Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855115 nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com

Assistant Editor: Zahra Awan

Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855038 zahraawan@quartzltd.com

Production Editor: Annie Baker

Sales Commercial Sales Director: Nathan Jupp nathanjupp@quartzltd.com

Tel: +44 (0)1737 855027

Sales Director: Ken Clark kenclark@quartzltd.com

Tel: +44 (0)1737 855117

Advertisement Production

Production Executive: Carol Baird

Managing Director: Tony Crinion

CEO: Steve Diprose

Circulation/subscriptions

Jack Homewood

Tel +44 (0) 1737 855028

Fax +44 (0) 1737 855034

email subscriptions@quartzltd.com

Annual subscription: UK £270, all other countries £292. For two year subscription: UK £510, all other countries £527. Airmail prices on request.

Single copies £50

ALUMINIUM

Tel: +44 (0)

Fax:

INTERVIEW

6 Women With Metal

THE ALUMINA CHRONICLES

9 Aluminium industry in Indonesia

EUROPEAN UPDATE

16 European Aluminium calls for a real “industry decarbonisation deal”

TECHNOLOGY

19 Navigating the future of metalworking in 2024

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

23 Shaping the future: digital transformation in the aluminium industry

TMS PREVIEW

25 Grain refiner specialist to deliver results from canlid stock trials

DECARBONISATION

27 Examining the latest technologies decarbonising the aluminium sector

31 Hydrogen in the aluminium industry

PACKAGING

42 What the packaging recycling industry wants to see in 2024

THE DIGITAL MINE

45 Ma’aden and Hexagon partner to launch region’s first digital mine

47 Rail mounted charging machines for melting furnace applications

Welcome to the latest edition of Aluminium International Today magazine. As always, we strive to bring you detailed articles, interviews, and updates that provide valuable insights into the ever-evolving landscape of the aluminium sector.

The year already feels like it is flying! I was asked by a colleague recently what I am planning to do on my ‘Bonus Day’ this year. It took me a second to figure out that they were referring to the extra day in February that we will be gifted and I realised it was exactly that, the gift of more time.

So, rather than saving this column to write then and use my day to do all the jobs I’ve been putting off, I’m going to plan to use it as productively as possible, while also taking some time to enjoy the extra hours and I encourage you to do the same!

One person who is a shining example of using every minute of the day to the max, is Kirsty Davies-Chinnock, founder of Women With Metal. I had the pleasure of speaking to her for this issue and found out what drives her passion for the project and ideas for growth and going global!

Additionally, we turn our focus to Indonesia, a key player in the global aluminium market. Our in-depth feature from regular columnist Richard McDonough, explores the latest developments and challenges in aluminium production in Indonesia, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of this dynamic sector.

And don’t miss Assistant Editor, Zahra Awan’s exclusive article on the use of hydrogen in aluminium production. As the industry continues to explore sustainable alternatives, is hydrogen a promising solution...?

nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com

Hydro invests EUR 180 million in new Spanish aluminium recycler

The new recycling plant will produce 120,000 metric tonnes of low-carbon recycled aluminium per year and create approximately 70 new jobs in Torija. The products will be aluminium extrusion ingots for key European industries such as transport & automotive, building & construction, renewable energy installations, and consumer durable markets.

“Worldwide demand for materials like aluminium is growing as we build the infrastructure needed for the green transition. To reach our climate goals, we must

also change how these materials are produced. Key European industries, including the automotive and building & construction sectors, need access to responsibly produced materials with a low-carbon footprint. Hydro’s new state-of-the-art aluminium recycling plant in Torija will be ideally positioned to help customers reach their sustainability goals by offering low-carbon aluminium with a high share of recycled post-consumer scrap,” says Eivind Kallevik, Executive Vice President for Hydro Aluminium Metal.

The investment is pending final build decision, which is expected in the second half of 2024. Production is expected to commence in 2026.

Alcoa to supply Nexans with lowcarbon aluminium from ELYSIS™

Alcoa have announced that it will supply global cable producer Nexans with aluminium produced from a revolutionary process that eliminates all direct greenhouse gas emissions from the traditional smelting process.

Nexans will be the world’s first cable manufacturer to use metal from the breakthrough ELYSIS™ process, which replaces all greenhouse gas emissions with oxygen. The technology uses proprietary materials, including inert anodes, first developed at the Alcoa Technical Center near Pittsburgh. That research and development work became the technological basis for

ELYSIS™, a technology partnership that is working to ramp up the process to commercial scale.

Several Nexans facilities in Western Europe and Scandinavia will use aluminium produced from the ELYSIS™ process to start qualifications for the metal’s use in various

EGA to supply alumina

Emirates Global Aluminium has announced it has signed an agreement to supply alumina to The Alumina Industrial Company, enabling the development of a new industry making speciality products from alumina and contributing to the achievement of the UAE’s industrial growth strategy Operation 300bn.

The Alumina Industrial Company, established by the Maithan Group and Bathwal Corporation, intends to develop the UAE’s first complex to make speciality products from alumina in Khalifa

Economic Zone Abu Dhabi. These products have widespread applications in refractories and abrasives for industrial applications.

The project requires a local source of alumina, and EGA is the only UAE producer. The supply agreement is the first time EGA has sold alumina from its refinery to a third-party, extending EGA’s support to industrial expansion in the country. Alumina is the main feedstock for aluminium smelters. All the production from EGA’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery is currently used in EGA’s smelters.

types of cables, from low, medium to high voltage. Aluminium rod produced with this breakthrough ELYSIS™ technology could eliminate a significant portion of carbon dioxide emissions in the future.

Since the launch of ELYSIS™ in 2018, the technology company has produced R&D quantities of the metal. Alcoa is marketing and selling its share of the ELYSIS metal, which has also been used for the wheels on the Audi eTron GT, the automaker’s first electric sports car. Apple is also an investor in the technology and has used ELYSIS metal for some of its products.

EGA’s supply of alumina to the project is a further expansion of EGA’s local commercial sales that enable downstream industrial activity.

BONUS DAY

Henan Yirui starts production on the new aluminium hot rolling mill

Two months ahead of the contractually agreed date, the first aluminium coil was successfully rolled on the new hot mill at Henan Yirui New Material Technology Co., Ltd. The new hot mill is an essential element of the strategic expansion project of Henan Yirui, a subsidiary of the Henan Mingtai group, which is located in the city of Gongyi, Henan Province, China. This underlines Henan Yirui’s trust in the expertise and experience of SMS group and its many success-

ful references in the aluminium industry.

SMS group developed a solution to refurbish and integrate components from a secondhand 1+1 hot rolling mill, comprising a roughing mill and a single-stand finishing mill, into the 1+4 hot strip mill at the Gongyi site.

Rolling of the first coil was originally scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. However, installation and commissioning times were significantly shortened

Alba Inks 10-year gas supply deal with Bapco Energies

“Securing a 10-year Natural Gas Supply Agreement marks a significant chapter for Alba”, as stated by Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba)’s Chairman of the Board, Mr. Khalid Al Rumaihi, during the Signing Ceremony with Bapco Upstream, a 100% owned subsidiary of Bapco Energies, on 23 January 2024 at Al Dana Hall, Alba.

The signing ceremony was attended by Alba’s Chairman, Mr. Khalid Al Rumaihi, Bapco Up-

stream’s Chairman, Eng. Faisal Al Mahroos, Alba’s CEO, Ali Al Baqali, Bapco Upstream’s CEO, Johann Pleininger, and other Alba’s officials.

This Agreement takes effect on 23 January 2024, and supersedes all previous agreements. It serves as a continuation of the Company’s current natural gas requirements under one contract. Another key highlight of this Agreement is the fixed price structure for the first

5-year period at US$4 per million British thermal units (MMBTU) post which the price will be determined by the Competent Authority.

Adding further to mark this milestone, Mr. Al Rumaihi stated: “Five years of stable gas price are just the foundation. This partnership with Bapco Energies lays the groundwork for a future where collaboration and transparency will fuel our sustainable growth.”

MYTILINEOS Energy & Metals expanding production activities

MYTILINEOS Energy & Metals (MYTILINEOS) has obtained a Prospecting License from the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) to explore and subsequently extract bauxite deposits in the Ninayhin –Mpasaaso region.

Highlighting the successful Energy & Metals model and the synergies resulting from it, MYTILINEOS have said it seeks to implement a similar mode of operation in Ghana, already having an in-depth understanding of the country’s energy sector, through the execution of a multitude of energy projects.

In the initial 18-month implementation stage of the project,

the company state they will conduct necessary studies to confirm reserves and develop mines. Simultaneously, a comprehensive feasibility study will be conducted.

OTTO JUNKER 100 years

OTTO JUNKER GmbH looks back at 2023. With many successful trade fair participations, new partnerships and major orders, the company has strengthened its position and is looking forward to the future. This year, the company will celebrate its 100 year anniversary.

2024 Outlook for the UKALFED report

Last year, the UK aluminium industry was characterised by low inventories, prolonged and extensive slumps in demand, and sanctions still hanging over Russian metal. There is, however, an expected economic upshift by the end of 2024, and with new EU regulations adding taxes to high carbon imports from 2026, the aluminium industry can expect a year of transitional change, with renewed focus on supply chains and sustainability.

Runaya and TAHA extend their global footprint

The area containing the deposits under concession, designated as Ninayhin Block C, is estimated to possess geological reserves of approximately 300 million tons of bauxite and is anticipated to yield around 10 million tons of bauxite annually, equivalent to an estimated annual turnover of $500 million at current market prices.

MYTILINEOS, in collaboration with GIADEC, have announced they will assess the potential construction of an alumina production unit, projecting an annual production capacity of up to 1.5 million tons. The current annual aluminum production in Agios Nikolaos, Viotia, amounts to 865,000 tons.

Runaya & TAHA International

have announced the extension of their cooperation from India to the rest of the world. Through a strategic partnership, Runaya and TAHA aim to set up end-toend dross processing and refining facilities for major primary global aluminum smelters.

Refractories manufacturer

RATH: Strategic growth in future market Asia

RATH Group announces it acquires 33% stake in Avanee Refsol India as part of its Evolution 2030+ strategic growth plan. Production is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2025.

www.aluminiumtoday.com

European Aluminium calls for a real “industry decarbonisation deal”

The European Commission unveiled its Communication ‘Securing our future: Europe’s 2040 climate target and path to climate neutrality by 2050 building a sustainable, just and prosperous society’ outlining the needed climate and energy policy framework post-2030.

The framework recommends an ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target of 90% by 2040, compared with 1990 levels. This presents a significant

opportunity and challenge for the aluminium industry, as demand is set to surge in support of the green transition. European Aluminium emphasises the pressing need for coherent energy, trade and industrial policies that facilitate the industry’s decarbonisation and incentivising recycling while remaining competitive on global markets. This will enable the industry to meet the growing demand with sustainable aluminium ‘made in Europe’.

“The link between climate, trade and industrial policy must be strengthened and at the forefront of the agenda of the next EU Commission. We are ready to work with the EU Commission and the Member States on bridging solutions to bring down the cost of energy and boost the transformation of our industry while remaining competitive on global markets,” notes Paul Voss, Director General of European Aluminium.

2024 DIARY

MAY

14th - 16th

CRU: 30th World Aluminium Conference

The 30th World Aluminium Conference will return to the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London, co-hosted by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI) and the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI).

www.events.crugroup. com/aluminium/home

21st - 23rd

Future Aluminium Forum

Aluminium added to Quebec’s list of critical and strategic minerals

The Aluminium Association of Canada (AAC) welcomes the addition of aluminium to Quebec’s list of critical and strategic minerals.

The government’s decision comes at a strategic moment in our industrial development, when Quebec, which produces 75% of North America’s primary aluminium, will play a major role in

the decarbonisation of the North American economy through its contribution to electrification.

“From the production of renewable energy with solar panels through transmission lines and all the way to batteries and electric vehicles, Quebec’s low-carbon aluminium is essential from start to finish,” said Jean Simard, President and CEO of AAC.

Aluminium is listed as a critical mineral in the USA, Canada and, more recently, Europe. Canada produces more than 80% of North America’s primary metal, and nearly 45% of all primary metal in Europe and the United States combined. It is also the largest source of low-carbon metal production from a democracy.

Rio Tinto to drive development of Australia’s largest solar farm

Rio Tinto has announced that they will drive development of Australia’s largest solar power project near Gladstone, after agreeing to buy all electricity from the 1.1GW1 Upper Calliope Solar Farm to provide renewable power to Rio Tinto’s Gladstone operations.

The agreement will bring more renewable power into one of Australia’s most important industrial hubs and marks another step towards Rio Tinto’s climate goal of halving its global Scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions this decade2. If combined with more renewa-

ble power and suitable firming, transmission and industrial policy, it could also provide the core of a solution to repower Rio Tinto’s three Gladstone production assets - the Boyne aluminium smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland Alumina refinery.

Under a new power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with European Energy Australia, Rio Tinto will buy all power generated from the Upper Calliope solar farm for 25 years. The plant will be built and operated by European Energy, at a site about 50 kilometres

south-west of Gladstone, pending development and grid connection approvals.

Once approved and developed, Upper Calliope would have the potential to lower Rio Tinto’s operating carbon emissions by 1.8 million tonnes per year.

Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said “This agreement is a first important step in our work to repower our Gladstone operations and illustrates our commitment to keeping sustainably powered industry in Central Queensland.”

The Future Aluminium Forum was originally developed to explore the transformational impact of digital technologies in the aluminium manufacturing processes. By hosting this next edition in Istanbul, we will be looking to uncover the potential to revolutionise the industry in Turkey and the surrounding regions.

www.

futurealuminiumforum. com/turkey/

29th - 31st

NorCast

NorCast presents highprofile executive leaders as Distinguished Guest Speakers, along with an international line-up of presenters, to cover important aspects of the aluminium industry.

Held in Arendal, Norway

www.norcast-seminar.com

JULY

3rd - 5th

ALUMINIUM CHINA

ALUMINIUM CHINA brings together high-quality resources from the aluminium industry and end-use applications at home and abroad to comprehensively display innovative technologies and products.

Held in Shanghai

www.aluminiumchina.com

For a full listing visit

www.aluminiumtoday.com/ events

Tired of Maintaining Hydraulics?

GRANCO CLARK’S ALL NEW Non-Hydraulic System utilizes servo actuators and pneumatics instead of hydraulics. This includes the Log Lift, Log Pusher, Pullers, Stretchers, Hot Saw, ECS Saw and many others.

Our Hydraulic Free Systems are quiet, quick, powerful and boast incredible new features.

Now that you’re energized, let’s talk! 1-800-918-2600

Women With Metal

Dedicated to creating a connection between all women and allies working in the metal sectors, Women With Metal is the latest and greatest project headed up by Kirsty Davies-Chinnock, Managing Director of Professional Polishing Services Ltd. Nadine Bloxsome* was in attendance at the first Women With Metal conference last year and met with Kirsty to find out more about future plans to align with broader industry trends and initiatives related to gender equality and diversity.

I’m always in awe of those people who

get up at 5am to start their day with a workout and give themselves some time to prepare for what’s ahead. I’m much better at doing this in the summer months, but the dark, winter mornings currently mean I lack this extra motivation. If Kirsty Davies-Chinnock however could bottle up her energy and offer that as a treat in the goody bags at the next Women With Metal conference, I’d be very grateful!

After the success of the first conference in October 2023, the Women With Metal brand has gone from strength to strength.

Now a registered company, Kirsty and her growing team have announced that this year’s conference will be even bigger and there will be a stream of regional workshops organised across the year, focusing on topics such as goal setting and how to unlock success.

With Aluminium International Today recognised as a proud media partner for the event and supporting in the success, it was great to speak with Kirsty to find out about the passion behind the project and her hopes for how it will evolve.

Q1. Can you provide an overview of the Women With Metal conference and its objectives? How it started, to where it is now?

A. The conference was the start of Women With Metal and it was almost accidental. I’d had a conversation with someone who was being asked a lot about gender equity in the metal industry. There were lots of networking events in the industry already, but these were things like golf days and clay pigeon shooting, but there didn’t seem to be anything that’s particularly aimed at women within the metal industry, and there have always been women in the metal industry, and they’re becoming more and more visible.

I took it in the way he intended it, which was very positive. But he said to me, Kirsty, can you arrange an afternoon tea? And that was, I think, on a Wednesday and by the Friday I’d got five speakers booked and, on the Tuesday, secured the Birmingham Park Regis Hotel for a one-day conference!

We had the conference on the 10th of October and by the end of the month Women With Metal was a limited company, and we were already looking for the 2024 conference venue and also starting to plan regional events as well.

Something that started as a way to develop an event that was more inclusive for women, has now moved on and is contributing to this advancement and representation of women in the metals industry. So, it is not just showing as an event form, but actually showing more roles that women are now playing in the sector as well.

Q2. How does the Women With Metal conference contribute to the advancement and representation of women in the metal industry, particularly in the UK?

A. I want to encourage more women to go into more visible leadership roles, without detracting from the men in those roles, who doing a great job, I want to show that there are great women out there, running businesses at C-Suite level or as senior managers with incredible technical skills and showing that there are great careers in the metal sector for both men and women.

When we look at the skill shortages and how difficult it is to change the perception of the metals industry, it’s just going to benefit companies to have this positivity out there for further recruitment, both for skilled men and women coming into the industry.

Q3. In what ways does the conference aim to foster diversity and inclusion within the metal sector?

A. One thing I am very conscious of is not creating a ‘them and us’ agenda, but it’s great to network with people that are like you.

Whilst I focused heavily on delivering a ‘return on investment’ conference for companies who were sending delegates, I was also very keen that they would come away with new skills. It’s nice to have just have a coffee and a chat with somebody who is similar to you; we all find our own tribe. We all get on with some individuals better than others, it doesn’t matter what their gender is. When you find someone, you have a common ground with and someone who has had a similar experience to you, whether that’s being a working mother, being the only woman in your team or having trouble accessing decent PPE, we’re human beings at the end of the day and we want to connect with somebody who has similar experiences.

We’ve already had a number of men booking onto the 2024 conference and whilst there will be aspects that are aimed particularly at women, this doesn’t mean that allies aren’t welcome. When you talk about equity in the workplace, these issues benefit men and women. There are men who want to go and see their children in the school play, or want to do the university run, or have to take their turn in running a parent to a hospital appointment and just feeling confident that they can have those conversations will benefit the whole company.

The more this equity and change becomes visible, the easier it’s going to be to attract new people into the industry, and that’s what we need.

Q4. Can you share some success stories or notable achievements resulting from the latest Women with Metal conference and workshops?

A. We had the first regional workshop recently and we had a mixture of architects and designers, fabrication companies, stockholders, large and small and associated industries, people who have clients within the metal sectors. There was a lot of networking which was great, and I know that one company has started supplying another company that was there, which is fantastic.

One of the things we’re doing with the regional events is they are more workshop based, with a meal and some drinks and just seeing the level of networking afterwards. The feedback so far and during the night has been good, so we’re looking forward to hosting more over the coming months and taking them to different areas of the country.

Q5. How does the Women with Metal conference align with broader industry trends and initiatives related to gender equality and diversity?

A. We are currently preparing the agenda for October, and we will be looking to bring in more elements of building networking skills. I’m also hoping to focus more on mindset and how to not take stresses at work home, because if people have the skills to not do that, it means when they come back to work the next day, they’re not going to have been lying in bed at 2am worrying about something! They’re going to be more refreshed; they’re going to be positive and in a lighter physical and mental frame of mind to deal with that challenge, which means they’ll deal with it better, both for them and for the outcome of that challenge. Another area we are looking at is the development of AI and how potentially that will look in the metal sector moving forward, how we can use it for our benefit, whether it’s using sensors on machinery and then using AI to analyse the data or whether it’s going to be in other areas.

I’m talking to a variety of people about that now and trying to find something that will appeal to the majority of the people attending, because obviously we’ve got people in every department you can think of.

Q6. Looking ahead, what are the future development plans for the Women with Metal conference, and how do you envision its growth and impact in the coming years?

A. Ideally, I would love the main UK conference to turn into a two-day event with a dinner in the evening and the opportunity of splitting off into workshops, looking at how we can add value for individuals going forward.

We’re also producing quite a lot of content in the background, as well as workbooks and eBooks that go out each month and there’s a code every single month so people can download them for free.

We’re also planning to create Continuous development courses which will be a big project, but I really want to get going on that in 2025 and partner with organisations who can help. There’s still a lot of work to do, but we’re all about collaboration overall! The more we can work together and the more we can shout about how these industries are fantastic, we’re all having fulfilling careers that are interesting, dynamic and there are plenty of opportunities there.

The

But don’t take our word for it, test your current grain refiner against Optifine using the NEW Opticast 2nd gen Contact us to arrange for your samples to be measured by Opticast 2nd gen or to discuss your grain refinement needs.

Aluminium industry in Indonesia

Aluminium industry in Indonesia

By Richard McDonough*

Indonesia is one of the largest nations in the world in terms of population and in size of its territory. This Asian nation is also one of the largest producers of bauxite and one of the largest refiners of alumina in the world.

The United Nations Population Fund estimated that 277,500,000 people were living in Indonesia in 2023. This ranks the country as the fourth largest in the world in terms of population. Only India, China, and the United States (USA) have larger populations.

Indonesia includes more than approximately 1,904,569 square kilometers of territory, according to the Central Intelligence Agency of the USA. This size ranks the island nation as the 14th largest in terms of territory in the world.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected the Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Indonesia will grow 5% to (US) $1,540,000,000,000 in 2024. This GDP level would rank Indonesia as the 16th largest economy in the world. To put this level in perspective, the IMF indicated the economy of Indonesia is larger than the economies of such nations as Türkiye, the Netherlands, and Saudi Arabia.

Consumer Prices in Indonesia are projected by the IMF to increase 2.5% in 2024.

According to a report from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued in 2023, 1,100,000 metric dry tonnes of alumina was estimated to have been refined in Indonesia in 2022. That was an

*Do

increase from the 1,000,000 metric dry tonnes of alumina estimated to have been refined in the country in 2021.

The estimated level of alumina production in 2022 placed Indonesia as the 15th largest producer of alumina in the world. The estimate for 2021 by the USGS indicated that Indonesia was the 16th largest producer of alumina globally in that year.

The USGS estimated Indonesian bauxite production was 21,000,000 metric dry tonnes in both 2021 and 2022.

With those estimated levels, the USGS indicated that Indonesia was the 5th largest producer of bauxite among all nations in both 2021 and in 2022.

Reserves of bauxite were estimated by the USGS to be 1,000,000,000 metric dry tonnes in Indonesia as of 2022. This would place the country with the sixth largest reserves of bauxite in the world. Only Guinea, Vietnam, Australia, Brazil, and Jamaica are estimated by the USGS to have larger reserves of bauxite.

Trade

Indonesia was ranked as the 28th largest importing nation of aluminium and articles thereof in 2022. In 2021, the country also ranked number 28 among countries importing aluminium and articles thereof. In 2020, Indonesia ranked number 29; in 2019, number 26; and in 2018, the nation was ranked as number 25 worldwide.

In 2022, Indonesia was ranked as the 48th largest country globally in exports of aluminium and articles thereof. It was also

ranked at number 48 in 2021, number 46 in 2020, number 51 in 2019, and number 47 in 2018.

This information is according to the International Trade Centre (ITC). Unless otherwise stated, statistics detailing imports and exports of aluminium and articles thereof (hereafter noted as “aluminium and related products”) to and from Indonesia are approximate and are from the most recent reports issued by the ITC. This also includes the statistics detailing individual segments of the aluminium industry. Pic 1

Imports

Pic 2. Imports of aluminium and related products into Indonesia increased about 11.2% overall from 2018 to 2022. There were, though, decreases in the intervening years. In 2019 to 2020, these types of imports decreased, but then increased in 2021 and 2022.

In 2018, imports of these products amounted to (US) $2,172,792,000; in 2019, (US) $1,891,555,000; in 2020, (US) $1,415,704,000; in 2021, (US) $2,086,137,000; and in 2022, imports of aluminium and related products were valued at (US) $2,416,068,000.

Major sources of aluminium and related products imported into Indonesia included countries in Asia, North America, and other nations in the Pacific Ocean region.

As has been the case with most countries, Indonesia’s largest source of aluminium and related products imported into the country was China for the time

(The photograph was provided courtesy of Harry Purwanto.)

period from 2018 to 2022. Indonesia imported (US) $881,213,000 of these products from China in 2018; imports from that country increased to (US) $981,141,000 in 2022.

In addition to imports of these products into Indonesia from China, other nations that saw increases in actual amounts of imports into this country during that five-year time period were the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Australia, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, India, Singapore, and Taiwan. India saw its imports of these products into Indonesia more than double during this time period.

There were also decreases in the actual amounts of aluminium and related products imported from some countries. The USA, Japan, and Russia each saw its level of imports of these products into Indonesia decrease from 2018 to 2022.

The level of imports of these products from China amounted to 40.6% of all aluminium and related products imported into Indonesia in these two years.

All of the other sources of imports of aluminium and related products each represented less than 7% of all of these products imported into Indonesia in 2018 and 2022.

The UAE, Australia, Malaysia, the USA, and South Korea were the next five sources of aluminium and related products imported into Indonesia in 2022. Respectively, these countries accounted for imports of these products valued at (US) $155,364,000 and represented 6.4% of aluminium and related products imported in that year; (US) $151,147,000, 6.3%; (US) $141,791,000, 5.9%; (US) $138,638,000, 5.7%; and imports of these products valued at (US) $135,652,000, representing 5.6% of aluminium and

related products imported in 2022.

Other major sources of these products imported into Indonesia in 2022, the amounts of imports, and the percentage that those imports amounted to as a portion of all such imports into Indonesia were Thailand, (US) $82,985,000, 3.4%; India, (US) $81,027,000, 3.4%; Singapore, (US) $78,320,000, 3.2%; Japan, (US) $67,035,000, 2.8%; Taiwan, (US) $60,182,000, 2.5%; and Russia, (US) $50,966,000, 2.1%.

Aluminium and related products imported from these 12 countries into Indonesia represented 87.9% of all of the imports of these products into the nation in 2022.

Five years earlier, in 2018, the USA was the second largest source of aluminium and related products imported into Indonesia with (US) $142,058,000 in these products; this represented 6.5% of all such imports in that year.

Other top sources were Australia, with imports into Indonesia of aluminium and related products valued at (US) $138,747,000 representing 6.4% of the import market for these products; Malaysia, with (US) $135,014,000 representing 6.2%; the UAE, with (US) $121,254,000 representing 5.6%; and South Korea, with these products valued at (US) $101,150,000 representing 4.7% of the overall market for aluminium and related products imported into Indonesia in 2018.

Thailand, Japan, Russia, Singapore, India, and Taiwan were also major sources of these products imported into Indonesia in that year. The amounts and percentages those amounts represented of the import market into this country for 2018 were, respectively, (US) $79,363,000 and

3.7%, (US) $78,332,000 and 3.6%, (US) $71,002,000 and 3.3%, (US) $69,623,000 and 3.2%, (US) $32,425,000 and 1.5%, and (US) $26,226,000 and 1.2%.

The amount of products imported from the 12 countries noted represented 86.4% of all aluminium and related products imported into Indonesia in 2018.

Exports

Pic 3. The amount of exports of aluminium and related products from Indonesia increased 14.7% from 2018 to 2022. Other than a large decrease from 2018 to 2019, there were increases in each of the other year-to-year pairings.

Aluminium and related products exported from Indonesia were valued at (US) $775,838,000 in 2018, and (US) $890,156,000 in 2022. In the intervening years, the amounts were (US) $527,027,000 in 2019, (US) $610,105,000 in 2020, and (US) $784,542,000 in 2021.

Key export markets for Indonesia included nations in North America, Asia, Europe, and other nations in the Pacific Ocean region.

During the five-year time period from 2018 to 2022, exports of these products increased to China, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Australia, India, Papua New Guinea, Poland, and the United Kingdom (UK). Substantial increases in these exports occurred with each of these countries, with the exceptions of India that saw a more modest increase.

Exports of aluminium and related products from the USA, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, and Singapore decreased from 2018 to 2022; exports of these products decreased by more than half to Japan and Thailand during that time period.

In 2022, the top five export destinations

Pic 1. Bauxite is mined and alumina is refined in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. (The aerial photograph is provided courtesy of the United States Geological Survey, 2023.)

Pic 2. Sources of aluminium and related products imported into Indonesia in 2022. (Image created with data provided courtesy of the International Trade Centre.)

for aluminium and related products produced in Indonesia were the USA, China, Vietnam, the Netherlands, and Australia. A total of (US) $185,563,000 in these products were exported from Indonesia to the USA in 2022, (US) $104,178,000 to China, (US) $82,762,000 to Vietnam, (US) $75,964,000 to the Netherlands, and (US) $71,885,000 to Australia.

These amounts represented 20.8%, 11.7%, 9.3%, 8.5%, and 8.1%, respectively, of the exports of aluminium and related products from Indonesia in 2022.

Other top destinations for these products exported from Indonesia in 2022 were India – aluminium and related products valued at (US) $50,635,000, representing 5.7% of the overall amount of these exports;

Malaysia: (US) $37,736,000, 4.2%; Papua New Guinea: (US) $27,632,000, 3.1%;

Japan: (US) $25,060,000, 2.8%;

Thailand: (US) $24,056,000, 2.7%;

Singapore: (US) $19,292,000, 2.2%;

Poland: (US) $19,091,000, 2.1%; and the UK: (US) $19,077,000, 2.1%.

The level of exports to the 13 countries noted represented 83.5% of all aluminium and related products exported from Indonesia in 2022.

In 2018, the top destinations for exports of aluminium and related products from Indonesia were the USA, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, India, and Vietnam. Other major markets were Singapore, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. The Netherlands, the UK, China, and Poland were all, relatively speaking, small markets for aluminium and related products exported from

Indonesia in 2018.

Indonesia exported (US) $344,265,000 in these products to the USA in 2018, (US) $65,341,000 to Malaysia, (US) $57,623,000 to Japan, (US) $52,073,000 to Thailand, (US) $42,213,000 to India, (US) $39,414,000 to Vietnam, (US) $30,712,000 to Singapore, (US) $15,108,000 to Australia, (US) $9,846,000 to Papua New Guinea, (US) $4,334,000 to the Netherlands, (US) $3,365,000 to the UK, (US) $2,661,000 to China, and (US) $217,000 in aluminium and related products to Poland in 2018.

Exports of these products from Indonesia to the USA represented 44.4% of the overall market of aluminium and related products exported from this country in 2018; to Malaysia, 8.4%; to Japan, 7.4%; to Thailand, 6.7%; to India, 5.4%; to Vietnam, 5.1%; to Singapore, 4%; to Australia, 1.9%; and to Papua New Guinea, 1.3% in 2018.

The Netherlands, the UK, China, and Poland each represented less than 1% of aluminium and related products exported from Indonesia in 2018.

Exports to these 13 countries represented about 84.6% of all aluminium and related products exported from Indonesia in 2018.

The ITC also provided additional details about production and trade for different portions of the aluminium industry. In one of the market segments, for example, Indonesia is a substantial part of this industry: the country is the third largest exporter of aluminium ore worldwide. Unlike with other market segments, though, all of the aluminium ore exported from Indonesia, according to the ITC, has been exported to one nation from 2018 through 2022.

Raw Aluminium

Pic 4. The ITC reported that Indonesia was the 28th largest importer of raw aluminium in 2022. The country imported (US) $726,629,000 in raw aluminium in that year; this amount represented less than 1% of total imports of this product into all nations.

In 2018, Indonesia was the 25th largest importer of raw aluminium among all countries. A total of (US) $641,386,000 in raw aluminium was imported into the nation at that time, representing about 1% of worldwide imports of this product.

Imports of raw aluminium into Indonesia increased from 2018 to 2022 from the UAE, Malaysia, India, Qatar, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, Bahrain, Taiwan, Nigeria, and Singapore. India, South Korea, South Africa, and Bahrain each saw their imports of this product into Indonesia more than double during this time period, whilst Spain and Nigeria saw increases that were more than fourfold in 2022 from relatively small amounts of these imports in 2018.

There were decreases in the actual amounts of raw aluminium imported from Australia and Russia into Indonesia from 2018 to 2022.

Raw aluminium imported into Indonesia in 2022 included products valued at (US) $153,447,000 from the UAE, (US) $108,354,000 from Australia, (US) $98,727,000 from Malaysia, (US) $69,512,000 from India, and (US) $50,703,000 from Russia.

Imports from these top five sources represented more than two-thirds (66.2%) of all raw aluminium imported into Indonesia in 2022. Specifically, imports of this product from the UAE represented 21.1% of the total; from Australia, 14.9%;

Pic 3. Destinations of aluminium and related products exported from Indonesia in 2022.

(Image created with data provided courtesy of the International Trade Centre.)

PIC 4. Sources of raw aluminium imported into Indonesia in 2022.

(Image created with data provided courtesy of the International Trade Centre.)

Pic 5. Export destinations of raw aluminium produced in Indonesia in 2022.

(Image created with data provided courtesy of the International Trade Centre.)

from Malaysia, 13.6%; from India, 9.6%; and from Russia, 7% of the total in 2022.

Other sources of raw aluminium imported into Indonesia in 2022 were from Qatar, (US) $43,276,000; from South Korea, (US) $41,466,000; from South Africa, (US) $18,959,000; from Spain, (US) $16,476,000; from Bahrain, (US) $15,620,000; from Taiwan, (US) $15,351,000; from Nigeria, (US) $14,356,000; and from Singapore, (US) $14,036,000.

Combined, the top 13 sources of raw aluminium represented 90.9% of all of the product imported into Indonesia in 2022.

In 2018, the UAE, Australia, and Malaysia were also the top sources of raw aluminium imported into Indonesia. The amounts and percentages of the total imports of this product were, respectively, (US) $120,637,000, 18.8%; (US) $116,407,000, 18.1%; and (US) $85,971,000, 13.4%.

Russia was the fourth largest source of raw aluminium imported into this nation in 2018. Indonesia imported (US) $70,870,000 in raw aluminium from Russia in that year, representing 11% of all imports of this product.

Amounts of raw aluminium imported into Indonesia from other major sources of this product in 2018 included (US) $39,803,000 from Qatar, (US) $28,239,000 from India, (US) $18,053,000 from South Korea, (US) $13,005,000 from Taiwan, (US) $11,651,000 from Singapore, and (US) $7,363,000 from South Africa.

These amounts represented, respectively, 6.2%, 4.4%, 2.8%, 2%, 1.8%, and 1.1% of all of this product imported into Indonesia in 2018.

Collectively, these top ten sources of raw aluminium imported into Indonesia in 2018 represented 79.8% of all of the imports of this product in that year.

Pic 5.

Indonesia was ranked as the 38th largest exporter globally of raw aluminium in 2022. The country exported (US) $361,190,000 in raw aluminium at that time. In 2018, Indonesia was the 43rd largest exporter of raw aluminium among all countries. A total of (US) $194,105,000 in raw aluminium was exported from the nation in that year.

In both 2022 and 2018, these amounts represented less than 1% of total exports of this product from all nations in those two years.

Exports of raw aluminium from Indonesia more than doubled to Vietnam from 2018 to 2022. According to the ITC, there were zero exports of raw aluminium to China, the Netherlands, and India in 2018; all three nations were destinations of large amounts of raw aluminium from Indonesia in 2022.

There were decreases in the actual amounts of raw aluminium exported from Indonesia to Malaysia, Japan, and Thailand from 2018 to 2022.

In 2022, the main destinations for raw aluminium produced in Indonesia were: China, (US) $102,042,000; the Netherlands, (US) $75,422,000; Vietnam, (US) $70,600,000; India, (US) $28,723,000; Malaysia, (US) $24,226,000; Japan, US) $11,087,000; and Thailand, (US) $8,749,000.

These amounts represented 88.8% of all of the exports of raw aluminium from Indonesia in 2022. The individual

percentages for the top seven markets listed for this product were 28.3%, 20.9%, 19.5%, 8%, 6.7%, 3.1%, and 2.4%, respectively.

In 2018, the top four destinations for raw aluminium produced in Indonesia were Malaysia, with (US) $47,432,000 in this product representing 24.4% of all of this product exported in that year; Japan, with (US) $41,719,000 and 21.5%; Thailand, with (US) $39,796,000 and 20.5%; and Vietnam, with (US) $24,667,000 and 12.7%.

These four nations represented 79.1% of all of the exports of this product in that year.

Aluminium Ore (Bauxite)

Pic 6. Indonesia is not a major importer of aluminium ore. The nation was the 59th largest importer of aluminium ore in 2022. In that year, the country imported (US) $780,000 in aluminium ore; this amount represented less than 1% of all worldwide imports of aluminium ore.

In 2018, the country was the 64th largest importer of this product. At that time, Indonesia imported (US) $608,000 in aluminium ore. Globally, this represented less than 1% of all imports of aluminium ore.

Imports of aluminium ore into Indonesia increased from Guyana, China, Brazil, South Korea, and the UK from 2018 to 2022. Other than China, according to the ITC, the level of imports from each of the other four countries was zero in 2018.

The amount of imports of this product into Indonesia decreased dramatically from the Netherlands and India during this five-year time period.

Guyana was the source of (US) $397,000 of the aluminium ore imported

Pic 6. Sources of aluminium ore imported into Indonesia in 2022.

(Image created with data provided courtesy of the International Trade Centre.)

Pic 7. Sources of scrap aluminium imported into Indonesia in 2022.

(Image created with data provided courtesy of the International Trade Centre.)

Pic 8.Export destinations for scrap aluminium produced in Indonesia in 2022.

(Image created with data provided courtesy of the International Trade Centre.)

into Indonesia in 2022. Other large suppliers of aluminium ore were China, (US) $117,000; Brazil, (US) $78,000; South Korea, (US) $72,000; and the UK, (US) $36,000.

Together, these five countries represented 89.7% of all of the aluminium ore imported into Indonesia in 2022. The percentages of the aluminium ore imported into the country in that year were 50.9% from Guyana, 15% from China, 10% from Brazil, 9.2% from South Korea, and 4.6% from the UK.

In 2018, the Netherlands, India, China, and Germany were the four major sources of aluminium ore imported into Indonesia. The nation imported (US) $313,000 in aluminium ore from the Netherlands in that year, (US) $136,000 from India, (US) $96,000 from China, and (US) $23,000 from Germany.

The four nations represented 93.5% of all aluminium ore imported into Indonesia in 2018. The percentages of the aluminium ore that the country imported in 2018 were 51.5% from the Netherlands, 22.4% from India, 15.8% from China, and 3.8% from Germany.

Whilst Indonesia has been a modest importer of aluminium ore, the nation is one of the major exporters of this product.

Indonesia was the 3rd largest exporter of aluminium ore in 2022; the country was the 4th largest exporter of this product in 2018. Exports of this product more than doubled during that five-year time period. Total exports of aluminium ore were (US) $263,601,000 in 2018 and (US) $623,001,000 in 2022.

These exports represented 8.2% of all aluminium ore exported worldwide in 2022 and 5.3% of all of this product exported globally in 2018.

China, according to the ITC, was the destination of the aluminium ore exported from Indonesia during each year from 2018 to 2022.

Scrap Aluminium

Pic 7. According to the ITC, Indonesia was the 22nd largest importer of scrap aluminium in 2022. In that year, the country imported (US) $284,862,000 in scrap aluminium; this amount represented 1.1% of all global imports of scrap aluminium.

Five years earlier, the country was the 17th largest importer of this product. In 2018, Indonesia imported (US) $204,332,000 in scrap aluminium. Globally, this represented 1.3% of all imports of scrap aluminium.

Indonesia increased its importation of scrap aluminium from 2018 to 2022 from the USA, Australia, Taiwan, Germany, and Singapore, whilst amounts of this product imported into Indonesia decreased from the UK. Imports of scrap aluminium from

Australia almost more than doubled, whilst the levels of imports of this product from Taiwan and Germany increased substantially in 2022 from small amounts in 2018.

The USA, Australia, Taiwan, Germany, the UK, and Singapore were the top six nations from which Indonesia imported scrap aluminium in 2022. The amounts of this product imported from these countries were, respectively, (US) $128,649,000, (US) $40,906,000, (US) $27,509,000, (US) $27,255,000, (US) $26,283,000, and (US) $6,815,000.

Together, these six countries represented 90.4% of all scrap aluminium imported into Indonesia in 2022. The percentages of the scrap aluminium imported into the country in that year were 45.2% from the USA, 14.4% from Australia, 9.7% from Taiwan, 9.6% from Germany, 9.2% from the UK, and 2.4% from Singapore.

In 2018, the USA, Australia, and the UK were the three major sources of scrap aluminium imported into Indonesia. The country imported (US) $112,711,000 in scrap aluminium from the USA in that year, (US) $32,214,000 from the UK, (US) $20,273,000 from Australia, and (US) $5,064,000 from Singapore. The amounts imported from Germany and Taiwan were relatively modest compared to the levels of other nations – (US) $1,728,000 and (US) $801,000, respectively.

These six nations represented 84.6% of all scrap aluminium imported into Indonesia in 2018. The percentages of the scrap aluminium the country imported in that year were 55.2% from the USA, 15.8% from the UK, 9.9% from Australia, and 2.5% from Singapore; imports of this product were less than 1% from both Taiwan and Germany.

Pic 8.

Indonesia was a relatively small source of scrap aluminium exports in both 2022 and in 2018, according to the ITC. In 2022, the country ranked as the 75th largest exporter of this product worldwide. Indonesia exported (US) $19,019,000 in scrap aluminium in that year, representing less than 1% of all global exports of the product.

In 2018, Indonesia exported (US) $15,376,000 in scrap aluminium. The country was ranked as the 67th largest exporter of this product in that year. As in 2022, the nation represented less than 1% of all exports of scrap aluminium throughout the world.

Indonesian exports of scrap aluminium more than doubled to South Korea and Thailand from 2018 to 2022; this type of exports also increased to Japan during the five-year time period. The amount of exports of scrap aluminium to Singapore decreased by more than 40%, whilst exports of this product to Saudi Arabia decreased substantially from 2018 to 2022.

South Korea, Thailand, Japan, and Singapore were the top four export destinations for scrap aluminium produced in Indonesia in 2022. The amounts of this product exported to these countries were, respectively, (US) $10,050,000, (US) $4,541,000, (US) $1,529,000, and (US) $1,320,000.

The four nations represented 91.7% of all scrap aluminium exported from Indonesia in 2022. The percentages of the scrap aluminium exported from the country in that year were 52.8% to South Korea, 23.9% to Thailand, 8% to Japan, and 6.9% to Singapore.

In 2018, those four countries plus Saudi Arabia were the major destinations for scrap aluminium exported from Indonesia. The country exported (US) $4,858,000 in scrap aluminium to South Korea in that year, (US) $3,926,000 to Saudi Arabia, (US) $2,448,000 to Singapore, (US) $1,667,000 to Thailand, and (US) $1,290,000 to Japan.

The five nations represented 92.3% of all scrap aluminium exported from Indonesia in 2018. The percentages of the scrap aluminium exported from the country in that year were 31.6% to South Korea, 25.5% to Saudi Arabia, 15.9% to Singapore, 10.8% to Thailand, and 8.4% to Japan. �

AUTONOMOUS CHARGING & SKIMMING MACHINES

European Aluminium calls for a real “Industry Decarbonisation Deal”

The European Commission unveiled its Communication ‘Securing our future: Europe’s 2040 climate target and path to climate neutrality by 2050 building a sustainable, just and prosperous society’ outlining the needed climate and energy policy framework post-2030. European Aluminium provided Aluminium International Today with an exclusive interview with Emanuele Manigrassi*.

The Industry Decarbonisation Deal: The framework recommends an ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target of 90% by 2040, compared with 1990 levels. This presents a significant opportunity and challenge for the aluminium industry, as demand is set to surge in support of the green transition.

European Aluminium emphasises the pressing need for coherent energy, trade and industrial policies that facilitate the industry’s decarbonisation and incentivising recycling while remaining competitive on global markets. This will enable the industry to meet the growing demand with sustainable aluminium ‘made in Europe’.

The EU is significantly ahead of other countries and regions in climate ambition, mandating substantial emission reductions in every sector and installation. Achieving this goal requires a harmonised policy approach across various domains, including trade, energy, and industrial strategy, ensuring that Europe remains competitive while progressing towards decarbonisation. Aluminium is the most used non-ferrous metal globally, delivering energy and CO2 savings in leading sectors, including mobility and transport, packaging, consumer goods, and building and construction. Large volumes of aluminium will also be required to produce solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles, wind turbines, heat pumps and hydrogen electrolysers. To satisfy the EU’s targets for a fast energy transition, the additional demand for aluminium in

Europe will reach 5 million tonnes per year by 2040, equivalent to an increase of 30% compared to Europe’s total aluminium consumption today[1]

However, Europe’s higher climate ambitions cannot be achieved at the expense of its manufacturing capacity nor increase import dependencies across the aluminium value chain. Energy costs in Europe are still too high compared to our global competitors, hindering the possibility to invest in the decarbonisation and recycling processes needed to achieve climate neutrality by mid-century [2 and 3]

“The link between climate, trade and industrial policy must be strengthened and at the forefront of the agenda of the next EU Commission. We are ready to work with the EU Commission and the Member States on bridging solutions to bring down the cost of energy and boost the transformation of our industry while remaining competitive on global markets,” notes Paul Voss, Director General of European Aluminium. The EU needs to therefore step up its overall energy security by scaling up investments in decarbonised energy systems, clean technologies, and infrastructure, while making full use of the provisions of the Critical Raw Materials and Net Zero Industry Acts, which both recognise aluminium as a strategic raw material and component for Europe’s green transition. Both pieces of legislation will have to be thoroughly implemented to ensure aluminium manufacturing, processing and recycling remains and grows in Europe.

Last year, the EU27 lost 50% of its primary aluminium production as a result of the energy crisis. Prior to the crisis, the EU had already lost one-third of its primary aluminium production capacity over the preceding 15 years due to uncompetitive operating conditions in Europe. This European production was replaced by production in other countries, with a much higher carbon footprint.

“The proposed ‘Industrial Decarbonisation Deal’ will have to include strengthened carbon leakage protection measures that go well beyond existing untested mechanisms such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). We regret to see that in the Communication, there is no reference to any additional carbon leakage protection measures complementing the CBAM. These will be urgently needed to ensure our industry can remain competitive while delivering on our commitment to reach net zero by 2050. The European Aluminium value chain needs enhanced carbon leakage measures beyond the unproven CBAM. The current tool has numerous loopholes and avenues for circumvention, which are insufficient to safeguard the European aluminium industry against carbon leakage and to effectively reduce global emissions[4]” he concludes.

In response to these policy challenges, European Aluminium has published a study identifying technological pathways for which more research and financial resources will be urgently needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

*Director of Climate Change & Energy, European Aluminium.

European Aluminium emphasises the pressing need for coherent energy, trade and industrial policies that facilitate the industry’s decarbonisation and incentivising recycling while remaining competitive on global markets”. Could you expand on ‘coherent energy’ policy, in light of the energy crisis of 2023? What do you wish to see from the European commission with regards to energy policy, will this focus on energy security over renewability and/or vice versa?

In Europe, energy costs for aluminium producers remain excessively high compared to other regions worldwide. The energy crisis of 2022-2023 highlighted the vulnerability of European producers, resulting in approximately 50% curtailments of EU27 primary aluminium capacity. This trend followed a 15-year period during which the EU lost onethird of its primary aluminium production capacity due to uncompetitive operational conditions because of the too high-power prices in Europe. Furthermore, the spike in gas prices severely hit the recycling and transformation sectors. While gas prices in Europe are lower than last year, they are still too high compared to other regions. Consequently, European production is replaced by production from countries, which tend to have significantly higher carbon footprints.

So what we really need is costcompetitive, low-carbon energy, at a price that allows us to compete with other global players. This issue is particularly sensitive in Europe due to variations in energy cost structures, especially on electricity, among EU Member States. The variations are due to the countries’ electricity mix, national surcharges, and to what extent the indirect carbon costs of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) are passed on in the power price by electricity suppliers. Additionally, the possibility to enter long-term contracts varies across the Union, depending on whether

An Interview with Emanuele Manigrassi:

Member States have State Aid schemes to support their national champions, storage, infrastructure, and level of grid interconnections.

The recent energy crisis highlighted this reality: countries with deep pockets could support their industrial champions, whereas others faced challenges. Notably, 82% of total national aid approved by the EU Commission was allocated to just three Member States: Germany (53%), France (24%), and Italy (7.6%). Therefore, a “coherent” energy policy should encompass measures to align with Europe’s broader industrial, trade, and security objectives. This means diversifying energy sources to mitigate overreliance on any single source, implementing a unified European approach to boost investments in renewable energy infrastructure, incentivising renewable energy projects, fostering research and development in renewable energy technologies, and finding ways to reduce the cost of consuming low-carbon energy for tradeexposed industries like aluminium.

“The proposed ‘Industrial Decarbonisation Deal’ will have to include strengthened carbon leakage protection measures that go well beyond existing untested mechanisms such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).” How do you suggest CBAM is strengthened? How will a strengthened CBAM benefit EU industry?

We have always opposed the idea of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). In our view, it cannot be designed in a way that would offer us the same level of protection provided by the existing carbon leakage protection measures in place in Europe. Additionally, we identify many unaddressed loopholes, ranging from the potential risk of resource shuffling (i.e. redirecting low-carbon aluminium to Europe while exporting carbon-intensive aluminium to other regions) to the manipulation of declared trade codes at the border, the over declaration of scrap content to lower costs, or simply importing higher value-added products further down the value chain that are not yet covered by the CBAM’s product scope.

This is why it is vital for our industry that the EU does two things: firstly, acknowledging that the CBAM cannot serve as the sole carbon leakage protection measure for European industry, and secondly, exploring alternative tools to safeguard industry interests should the CBAM fail to achieve its intended

objectives. Even with the implementation of the CBAM, our low-carbon producers will continue to pay the indirect carbon costs embedded in power prices due to the ETS and the marginal pricing mechanisms applicable to European electricity markets. Conversely, low-carbon imports will remain unaffected. So, we need to look at alternative carbon leakage protection measures that can truly level the playing field.

Interestingly, the need for alternatives was initially included in the first draft of the 2040 target plan but was subsequently removed, probably because of the fear that mentioning “alternatives” could undermine the credibility of one of the EU’s flagship climate policies.

“In response to these policy challenges, European Aluminium has published a study identifying technological pathways for which more research and financial resources will be urgently needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.” More research and financial support are easy to request, but what is the likeliness that this will come about? How can EU industries support your call for an “industry Decarbonisation Deal”?

The report is much more than a request for financial support. It marks the beginning of a journey and dialogue with energy and technology suppliers, as well as other industrial value chains, national, European, and international organisations, on how we can truly deliver a net-zero aluminium value chain in Europe. While European producers are already leading the way in decarbonisation, regulatory constraints and carbon costs in Europe are eroding the resilience of the value chain.

The EU has only 16 years left to achieve its ambitious 90% Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction target, yet this imperative should not lead to deindustrialisation, a stark reality faced by industries in Europe. Our report reveals that without intervention, the necessary enabling conditions for a fully decarbonised energy system and most of the technologies required to achieve a fully decarbonised value chain will not be available before 2035. Every sector of the economy must contribute, and we propose three main lines of action: accelerating the decarbonisation of power generation and hydrogen at a competitive price for industry, prioritising and increasing investments in R&D for low-carbon technologies, and increasing scrap recovery and recycling in Europe. �

CAN THE FUTURE BE LINKED TO THE ROD? YES, TO PROPERZI ROD

luminium Rod lines with smaller ction output for E.C. grade and common alloys: 1.5 tph to 3.5 tph

R Aluminium Rod lines with medium duction output for E.C. grade and st common alloys: 4.5 tph to 6 tph

R Aluminium Rod lines with medium duction output for E.C. grade and st complex alloys: 4.5 tph to 8 tph

CR Aluminium Rod Lines with large nd extra-large production output for .C. grade and most common alloys: tph to 15 tph, reaching a yearly utput of up to 100,000 tons

sales@properzi.it

Navigating the future of metalworking in 2024

Manufacturers turn to digitalised CNC machining and interconnected smart factories

The rise of smart factories, digitalised CNC machining and the industrial metaverse are set to reshape the manufacturing landscape in 2024. Here, Hakan Aydogdu* looks at the key trends in manufacturing and explores why manufactures should embrace transformative technologies with userfriendly interface and adaptability to keep up with the evolving needs of the metalworking industry –while staying competitive.

“As of July 2023,” according to Deloitte’s latest report on the US manufacturing industry, “annual construction spending in manufacturing stands at $201 billion, representing a 70 per cent year-overyear increase and setting the stage for further industry growth in 2024.” The continued growth of the metalworking industry is driven by several factors. One is rising demand for lightweight, strong and durable materials like aluminum or titanium, particularly in the aerospace and automotive industries where these materials support energy efficiency.

Manufacturers will also seek to invest more in electrification and decarbonisation, in general.

Another driving factor is new technological advancements as, according to Aptean’s Discrete and Process Manufacturing: 2024 Trends and Outlook for North America report, manufacturers “focus on innovation/R&D, product development” to diversify into new markets and “acquire new customers.”

But what are the core technologies that will underpin the continued growth of the metal fabrication industry in the new year?

Let’s look at some examples of systems and processes that manufacturers should embrace to stay competitive.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

In 2024, the metalworking and machine shop landscape will witness a profound shift, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) emerging as critical trends. AI-driven product design tools are becoming integral to the industry, as they facilitate the creation of intricate and precise components. Meanwhile, ML

*General Manager of CNC automation system manufacturer, Tezmaksan Robot Technologies

20 algorithms are adept at analysing vast datasets, enabling data-driven decisionmaking that enhances overall productivity. Both technologies enhance efficiency and competitiveness within the industry.

Analysis by Deloitte reveals that 86 per cent of manufacturing executives believe smart factories will be primary drivers of competitiveness in the next five years. As soon as 2024, smart factories are poised to be pivotal in the metalworking and machine shop sector, integrating advanced interconnected technologies such as AI, 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics and cloud computing.

As these machines become more interconnected and automated, so too will digitalised CNC machines, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.

For instance, predictive maintenance within smart factories utilises AI algorithms to forecast equipment malfunctions, minimising downtime and optimising machine performance. The implementation of 5G ensures seamless communication between devices, facilitating quicker decisionmaking and response times. IoT sensors collect and transmit real-time data, allowing manufacturers to monitor and optimise production processes remotely. Furthermore, cloud computing enables the storage and analysis of vast datasets, fostering data-driven decision-making for improved productivity.

Digital twins

The idea of the metaverse once belonged only in science fiction, a concept of the Internet as a single, universal and immersive virtual world accessed through virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets. This has been changing in recent years, as digital twins — where real-world objects or systems are replicated digitally and virtually — allow manufacturers to create immersive 3D environments and simulate equipment, processes and other assets to support better safer and more profitable decision

making in the real world.

In 2024, manufacturers are set to take the digital twins concept to another level. This will combine the 3D modelling, 3D scanning and immersive environments with the data analytics, cloud computing and IoT technologies of smart factories to create larger metaverses, that replicate real machines and factories, buildings and cities, grids, transportation systems and more in a virtual world. By establishing model-based enterprises, manufacturers can foster global connectivity and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Forbes predicts that industrial metaverses will foster more immersive and collaborative working processes. While, in the 2023 Deloitte and MLC industrial metaverse study, an overwhelming 92 per cent of manufacturers are actively experimenting with metaverse initiatives, projecting a substantial increase in sales, quality, throughput, labour productivity and more.

Interconnected technologies

Digitalised CNC machining is another anticipated trend for 2024, as machines become more automated and interconnected in order to increase efficiency and productivity in metalworking processes. To facilitate this, IoT sensors and devices and data analysis will become more integrated into control systems.

Elsewhere, the July 2023 AI Pulse Survey by Forrester found that manufacturers are growing more intrigued by the potential of AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to generate code for CNC machines. 67 per cent of enterprises researched by Forrester indicated they are bringing generative AI into their overall AI strategy. Although 29 per cent described their company’s use of generative AI as “experimentation” – which suggests many enterprises are proceeding with caution for now.

Nevertheless, the survey suggests manufacturers’ minds are turning

more towards the possibilities of more integrated machinery on the shop floor. A further example of this is the CubeBOX system, a compact robot cell designed to operate up to three CNC machines continuously, addressing the industry’s demand for increased efficiency and productivity. The system operates without downtime during loading and unloading, providing a seamless and uninterrupted 24-hour production cycle.

One of CubeBOX’s key advantages is its user-friendly software, ROBOCAM, which eliminates the need for robot programming and CAM knowledge. This aligns with the industry’s call for simplified processes and enhanced automation. The software converts 2D CAD drawings of workpieces to CAM, streamlining the integration process and allowing operators to focus solely on loading and unloading the workstation.

Moreover, CubeBOX’s lean and flexible design, coupled with the ability to handle various models and adapt to different CNC machines, addresses the industry’s need for versatility. The system’s compatibility with all CNC machines and control units, as well as its adaptability to different robot brands, positions it as a versatile and adaptable solution for manufacturers with diverse Industry 4.0 needs.

In the context of the challenges outlined for 2024, CubeBOX excels in reducing operator intervention and improving night shift efficiency. The system’s capacity to run continuously for 24 hours enhances overall production output, aligning with the industry’s goals of reducing lead times and optimising efficiency. By automating the loading and unloading processes, CubeBOX minimises downtime, contributes to predictive maintenance and digitalised CNC machining, integrating seamlessly with the vision of interconnected technologies in smart factories.

In conclusion, manufacturers must stay on top of current technological trends to address the challenges faced by the metalworking industry in 2024. Ideas once confined to the pages of sciencefiction, like AI and the metaverse, must be embraced with an open mind, and combined with practical Industry 4.0 approaches to interconnecting machines on the shop floor. Such strategies will be essential if manufacturers are to stay competitive in 2024’s rapidly evolving industrial landscape.

If you are interested in improving your manufacturing efficiency and would like to learn more about CubeBOX automation systems, visit the Tezmaksan website. �

For further information please visit www.tezmaksan.com

Introducing Mechatherm Services USA.

We now have a dedicated US-based service team to meet the needs of our valued clients across North America and Canada

Shaping the future: Digital transformation in the aluminium industry

By Professor Alexeis Garcia Perez*

Introduction

The aluminium industry, a vital cornerstone of the global economy, is on the brink of a transformative era. Traditionally characterised by physical labour and mechanical processes, it is now rapidly embracing the digital age. This shift, driven by the need for greater efficiency, innovation and sustainability, is reshaping the industry’s landscape. For decision-makers, particularly in the European Union, where environmental and technological leadership is a priority, understanding and harnessing this digital transformation is crucial. This article examines the historical evolution of the industry, explores the core aspects of its digital transformation, and discusses the opportunities and challenges it presents, along with a glimpse into the future.

Historical context

The journey of the aluminium industry has been marked by constant evolution and adaptation. From its early days, when aluminium was a precious metal, more valuable than gold, the industry has grown exponentially, especially after the introduction of the Hall-Héroult process in the late 1880s. This process made mass production of aluminium feasible, drastically reducing its cost and laying the foundation for its widespread application. Throughout the 20th century, the industry continued to expand, but it was primarily reliant on manual labour and simple mechanisation of processes.

The advent of the digital age towards the end of the century marked the beginning of a significant shift. Early adoption of computerised systems brought improvements in process control and operational efficiency, albeit modestly. These were the initial steps towards a more connected and data-driven manufacturing environment for the aluminium sector.

Core aspects of the digital transformation of the aluminium sector

As in most sectors, the digital transformation in the aluminium industry is a comprehensive and multifaceted process. The incorporation of automation and robotics has been a game changer. These technologies have not only streamlined operations but also significantly improved employee safety by taking over high-risk tasks. Automated systems handle repetitive, high-precision tasks with remarkable consistency, reducing human error and increasing overall productivity.

Simultaneously, the industry is witnessing a surge in the use of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies are leveraged to predict equipment failures, optimise production processes and enhance quality control. AI algorithms assist in identifying patterns and insights that were previously inaccessible, enabling smarter decisionmaking and more responsive production strategies.

Another critical aspect of this transformation is the digitalisation of the supply chain. By integrating digital

*Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.

solutions, companies can better track and manage resources, forecast demand and streamline logistics. This not only ensures a more efficient supply chain but also reduces waste and enhances sustainability.

Digital twin technology, which involves creating virtual replicas of physical systems or processes, is becoming increasingly popular. It is used to model and simulate manufacturing processes, allowing for optimisation and testing without interrupting actual production. This technology enables manufacturers to experiment with different scenarios, foresee potential issues and make proactive adjustments.

Furthermore, the Internet of Things (IoT) has transformed manufacturing facilities into smart factories. In these interconnected environments, machinery and equipment continuously exchange data, enabling real-time monitoring and adjustment of manufacturing processes. This connectivity ensures a more agile and responsive manufacturing system, capable of adapting to changing conditions and demands.

Digital transformation: opportunities and challenges for the sector

The digital transformation journey offers numerous opportunities for the aluminium industry, especially within the European Union. It enhances operational efficiency and competitiveness, aligning with the EU’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Technologies that optimise energy use and reduce waste contribute to the efforts of the industry to meet stringent and continuously evolving environmental regulations and carbon emission targets. Digital transformation also fosters innovation and market expansion, as advanced data analytics and digital twin technologies allow for the development of higher-quality products, tailored to specific market needs. Furthermore, it enhances supply chain resilience, crucial in a region where supply chain disruptions can have significant impacts.

However, this transformation is not without its challenges. The high initial costs of digital transformation, including investments in new technologies, training and potential restructuring, can be a significant barrier, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Cybersecurity is another critical concern. As operations become more digitalised, protecting sensitive data and production processes from cyber threats is paramount. The shift towards a more digitalised industry also requires a workforce that is skilled in these new technologies. Managing the transition for existing employees and bridging the skill gap is a challenge that requires thoughtful strategies and investment in training. Additionally, navigating the complex regulatory environment of the EU, especially concerning data protection and digital operations, can be challenging

About the author:

for companies.

Future Trends

Looking ahead, the aluminium industry is likely to witness increased adoption of AI and machine learning, driving further improvements in efficiency and innovation. Blockchain technology is anticipated to enhance traceability and transparency in the supply chain. The expansion of 3D printing technology will revolutionise the design and manufacturing of complex aluminium components. The industry is also expected to integrate circular economy principles more fully, embracing sustainable business models. The concept of smart factories will evolve further with IoT technology becoming more advanced. Regulatory changes related to environmental protection, digital operations and data security will continue to influence industry practices, and

collaboration between industry players, technology providers and academic institutions is expected to increase, fostering innovation and sustainable practices.

Conclusion

The future of the aluminium industry is closely tied to digital innovation and sustainability. For EU decision-makers, embracing these changes is imperative for maintaining relevance and leadership in the industrial world. The journey of digital transformation is ongoing. The ability of the aluminium industry to integrate digital advancements will be crucial in maintaining its relevance and leadership in the industrial world. The decisions made today by industry leaders will set the course for a more efficient, innovative and sustainable aluminium industry in the future. �

Professor Alexeis Garcia Perez is an expert in Digital Business and Society at Aston Business School, UK. Alexeis has collaborated with ALFED over the last decade to raise awareness of the challenges related to the cyber readiness of the sector. With a rich career spanning academia and industry, Alexeis’s expertise in digital transformation, cyber security management and digital resilience enables him to guide both established enterprises and startups towards digital readiness. Connect with Alexeis to navigate the complexities of digital innovation and secure your company’s future in the digital age.

Grain refiner specialist to deliver results from canlid stock trials

The founder of MQP is set to deliver a key technical paper on how high efficiency grain refiner is helping canlid stock producers improve their operations at TMS 2024.

Chairman John Courtenay said the company, which continues to build on its portfolio of high efficiency Optifine grain refiners and casthouse solutions, had been working producers worldwide to optimise the quality of the end products and reduce costs.

At his presentation at the Hyatt Regency Orlando on Monday 4th March, John will be focusing on results from trials at Henan Zhongfu Industrial Co Ltd - a major aluminium producer making more than 600,000 tonnes of canbody, canlid and foil stock annually.

John, who worked on the paper with Lei Shi, technical director at Henan, and Weitao Zhao, technical director at MQP’s parent company STNM, said: “We conducted successful trials with Henan in 2021 and our Optifine 5:1 100 high efficiency grain refiner was then fully adopted in production usage.

“The study of grain refiners for aluminium alloys is a crucial research topic in the industry. At TMS, I will be sharing details of the quantitative studies made on the company’s canlid stock reduction since changing to Optifine, which has resulted in reduced grain refiner consumption, improvements in finished product quality

and reduced costs.”

Grain refinement is a method that can improve both strength and ductility, playing a significant role in synergistically enhancing the material’s strength and plasticity.

In products with grain sizes typically in the range 100-1000µm, the grains can increase dislocation density and material strength. Compared to larger grains, the coordination of small-scale deformation within a unit volume can enhance overall material elongation and increase material ductility.

In practical casting processes, grain refinement can also reduce the formation of twins caused by dendritic growth, decrease process segregation, cold shut, and hot cracking tendencies, improve solidification shrinkage during the process, eliminate or better disperse

porosity, enhance casting density and surface quality, improving the success rate of casting and facilitating subsequent ingot processing.

Aluminium sheet for canlid stock is typically supplied to a thickness of 250µm, then drawn and wall ironed down to 100µm or 0.1mm. The process is highly demanding of the aluminium cleanliness and mechanical properties.

Grain refiner is primarily added to prevent cracking, but over addition can lead to increases in particle count, resulting in pinholes, tears and significant production outages due to time lost while equipment down.

By using Optifine 5:1 125 grain refiner, an even higher efficiency grain refiner than the Optifine 5:1 100 as used by producers such as Henan, the addition rate is reduced by a game-changing 85%. “A particle count of 4,000 would be reduced to just 600, preventing pinholes and tears and improving elongation and shape,” said John.

Optifine is today used in the production of over five million tonnes of alloys a year at 45 major casthouses worldwide. �

Find out more about how MQP can help your operations at www.mqpltd com. To register to hear John’s technical presentation at TMS, visit https:// register.rcsreg.com/r2/tms2024/ga/ top.html

Wagstaff is a trusted leader in the aluminum industry, known for our commitment to superior quality and customer satisfaction. Our equipment is designed to last, ensuring longevity for both the products and the partnerships we form. With a legacy of progress and a dedication to professionalism, Wagstaff is a partner you can rely on for all your aluminum casting needs.

EXPERIENCE THE SERVICE, LOYALTY, AND DEDICATION TO YOUR SUCCESS THAT ONLY WAGSTAFF CAN PROVIDE.

1.509.922.1404 www.wagstaff.com

Examining the latest technologies decarbonising the aluminium sector

By Ellie Gabel*

As more people explore how to cut carbon emissions, they must focus on improvements in the aluminium sector. What technologies will help people and the industry at large achieve this goal?

Renewable Energy

As a 2023 report from the Environmental Integrity Project pointed out, aluminium presents a paradox. It’s a critical material for many products necessary for a more sustainable future, such as electric vehicles and wind turbines. However, aluminium production is a high-emissions activity that must change to fit into the world’s eco-friendly future.

The report noted how five of six smelters [1] in the U.S. still use fossil fuel energy sources. The exception is New York’s Alcoa Massen plant, which runs on hydroelectricity. However, transitioning to renewable energy will be a collaborative effort, relying on the expansion of infrastructure, the adoption of relevant location-based policies and commitments from aluminium manufacturing leaders that they’ll gradually switch to cleaner sources.

Emerging technologies will undoubtedly play a role in the shift as well. In one example, energy reactor company GH

Power developed a renewable energy technology that meets multiple needs. It uses exothermic reactions to produce alumina, exothermic heat and hydrogen. The zero-waste and zero-carbon process creates no emissions and requires only recycled aluminium and water.

Company representatives say GH Power’s co-product production costs for making alumina are more than 80% less expensive [2] than alumina processes using hydrochloric acid leaching and hydrolysis.

Another approach to the renewable energy possibilities in the aluminium industry comes from India, where an aluminium company has signed a 25year power purchase agreement [3] with a renewable energy company. This approach will provide the aluminium producer with 100 megawatts of continually available renewable energy from wind and solar.

Improved Recycling

Aluminium is a frequently recycled material, with nearly three-quarters of

*Contributor

the material [4] produced in the United States still used today. In one case, a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company opened a recycling plant in Michigan. That location will become its largest producer of a proprietary material made from 75% [5] recycled, postconsumer aluminium scrap.

Other countries are on board with recycling, too, and some find particularly creative uses for it. One English hospice used recycled aluminium to make a decorative display of 1,000 [6] roses for a memorial.

In another instance, the Watt Electric Vehicle Company is a United Kingdombased startup that builds its flagship commercial van from recycled aluminium. The company expects this vehicle will last at least 20 years [7], compared to the five to seven years most comparable automobiles do.

The company offers a holistic program for customers that includes maintenance and upgrades for the vehicle’s life. It also

has in-depth recycling plans, including some extending to the battery, powertrain and chassis. The long-term goal is to have a closed-loop supply chain. That aim would have multiple environmental benefits if met.

However, many of the most successful aluminium recycling efforts will go further through collaboration. That happened with The Recycling Partnership, a nongovernmental organisation working to achieve better recycling methods to advance the circular economy. Internal statistics indicated one of its initiatives –which received five grants – obtained an extra 4.1 million pounds [8] of aluminium per year beyond initial estimates. Those efforts took the equivalent of 18,750 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.

Shell Energy leaders also have their sights set on aluminium decarbonisation. They’ll work with a provider in the United Kingdom to provide clean energy for aluminium recycling. Estimates suggest this approach will allow the recycling plant to maintain metrics of 2.3 kilograms [9] of CO2 per kilogram of aluminium handled.

Low-Carbon Aluminium

As building managers, construction site leaders and others explore feasible carbon reduction methods, some choose lowcarbon aluminium for their projects. That was the decision made for Irish office buildings that collectively incorporated 2,000 low-carbon [10] aluminium fins to minimise heating and cooling demands.

One collaboration between two companies also showed how even relatively small low-carbon aluminium applications can make big differences. The businesses will design low-carbon aluminium caps [11] for wines and spirits, effectively halving the market’s associated emissions footprint.

Another notable factor is that the companies sought to design the closures

in the European Union for organisations operating there. Most of the aluminium formerly used came from China, resulting in significant transport emissions.

Automaker BMW also got into the low-carbon aluminium industry by becoming the first customer of a United Arab Emirates-headquartered company specialising in it. That producer uses an innovative approach blending recycled aluminium with that produced by solar energy. This method results in the production process resulting in less than four metric tons [12] of CO2 equivalent per metric ton of aluminium. BMW will

use the material for large structural parts, drivetrain housings and engine components.

Porsche is another automaker interested in low-carbon aluminium. It partnered with a supplier and set a 2025 goal of 3.5 kilograms of CO2 [13] per kilogram of the material used. That would allow Porsche to use approximately 60% less primary aluminium than the European average.

Potential Challenges in Aluminium Decarbonisation

The possibilities outlined here show that technology will significantly decarbonise the aluminium industry and work toward a greener future. However, doing things differently may result in occasional unintended consequences and obstacles yet to be overcome.

For example, if a company begins using low-carbon aluminium, will that decision result in higher consumer costs? If so, will sufficiently large market segments agree to pay them? Although many people are becoming more sustainability conscious, most will draw the line if products are too far out of their budget or substantially more expensive than what competitors offer.

Company leaders also must consider whether the technologies they choose will be scalable enough once operations grow or move to different locations. Some options that look great in small-scale trials fall short when production volumes increase.

Even so, aluminium decarbonisation is essential to address now and for the foreseeable future. Finding greener ways to use and produce this widely available material will benefit society and the planet. The things people learn now will build the foundation for practical and efficient ways to shrink aluminium’s carbon footprint, showing the goal is always within reach when individuals stay open to new avenues. �

[1] https://environmentalintegrity.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Aluminum-Paradox-report-EMBARGOED-for-09.27.23.pdf

[2] https://hydrogen-central.com/gh-power-developed-unique-renewable-energy-technology-uses-exothermic-reactions-to-create-hydrogen-alumina-aluminum-oxide-and-exothermic-heat-killing-three-birds-with-one-high-tech-ston/ [3] https://www.mercomindia.com/ayana-supply-100-mw-rtc-renewable-hindalco-odisha [4] https://www.harboraluminum.com/en/green-aluminum

[5] https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/manufacturing/norwegian-aluminum-recycler-opens-150m-plant-in-southwest-michigan/ [6] https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-66798478 [7] https://electrek.co/2023/11/14/watt-electric-vehicle-companys-van-recycled-aluminum/ [8] https://recyclingpartnership.org/aluminum-recycling-impacts/ [9] https://aluminiumtoday.com/news/hydro-partners-with-shell-energy-to-decarbonize-uk-operations [10] https://www.irishtimes.com/property/commercial-property/2023/06/07/coopers-cross-to-use-low-carbon-aluminium-fins-to-cut-energy-use/ [11] https://sustainabilitymag.com/articles/amcor-launches-low-carbon-product-to-halve-carbon-footprint [12] https://aluminiuminsider.com/bmw-becomes-first-customer-for-egas-celestial-r-low-carbon-aluminium/ [13] https://newsroom.porsche.com/en/2023/sustainability/porsche-cooperation-norsk-hydro-decarbonize-supply-chain-sportscars-32129.html

The element with the atomic mumber 1

The lightest, colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-toxic, and yet most abundant, most combustible, and one of the most needed elements; hydrogen is one of today’s number one most problematic topics.

The simplest element to exist in our universe has a trail of fans, and as a result, a shadow of conflict. Which turns out to be not as simple. Naturally occurring, the element is found as, in the form of a compound with other elements, liquid, solid, or gas. 75% of all mass in the universe is hydrogen and 90% of all atoms in the universe are hydrogen atoms [1]. This element, as effortless as it appears, is perhaps one of the most complex we have in our periodic table.

The Element with the Atomic Number 13

Aluminium is the 12th most common element in the universe. Its low density, high strength, corrosion- resistant, highly recyclable, parallel nature makes it a material that fits to THE job. The main inconvenience that this metal is bonded and latched upon oxygen. About 8.2% of the earth’s crust is aluminium [2]; of this, aluminium most commonly occurs in the form of alumina (aluminium oxide –Al2O3).

This unfortunate occurrence leaves the aluminium industry in conflict with supplying demand, and sustainable consciousness.

1 and 13: The Annoying prime numbers

Hydrogen can, and has been, used in two main ways in the production of aluminium: As a combustion fuel for a direct flame source, usually in smelting or secondary aluminium production; or as a source to create electricity, which can then be used throughout the production of aluminium.

Hydrogen in the aluminium industry

By Zahra Awan*

was 903,980 GWh. The total primary aluminium production for 2022 was 69,038 thousand metric tonnes of aluminium. That’s 13 GWh per tonne of aluminium. See table 2.

Unfortunately, as abundant as hydrogen is, all industries have common challenges to contend with if they are to successfully implement the use of hydrogen. Namely: Supply, Storage, and Cost.

In 2022, the worldwide primary aluminium smelting energy consumption (reported as AC and DC power used for electrolysis by the Hall-Héroult processes per tonne of aluminium production) by the International Aluminium institute (IAI) was: Total AC energy 14,103 kilowatt hours (kWh) per tonne of aluminium (see table 1, data from IAI)[3]

In 2022, the world average primary aluminium smelting power consumption

In 2022, global hydrogen use reached 95 million tonnes (Mt) [5: Page 20] (global hydrogen production reached almost 95 Mt in 2022 [5: Page 64]). Of which, 53 Mt of hydrogen was used in industry [5: Page 25]. The usage of one tonne of hydrogen outputs approximately 33 MWh of energy” [6] Theoretically, this means that we would need 27.39 Mt of hydrogen to produce the current amount of energy for primary aluminium smelting alone! That’s 28.8% of total global hydrogen production of 2022.

What is more troubling is that only 0.7% of the global production of hydrogen in 2022 qualified as low-emission. [5: Page 64]

is produced from unabated fossil fuels” [5: page 25]. This statistic blatantly shouts out that there are major challenges that we need to be overcome, should hydrogen be a realistic solution.

The colours of Hydrogen

The type of hydrogen is another topic of discussion where further issues tend to surface. Different colours refer to the way in which hydrogen has been produced[7] Grey hydrogen is the most common occurring hydrogen fuel, which supports the rather shocking statistic that only 0.7% of hydrogen is qualified as low-emission. The global Hydrogen Review 2023, noted that “virtually all hydrogen used in industry

*Assistant Editor, Aluminium International Today

Cranfield University is one of the leading universities collaborating in the international partnership, HyPT, which aims to make “low-cost, large-scale, Net Zero hydrogen production a reality.” [8] The Global Hydrogen Production Technologies Centre (HyPT) is a £14.1 million, five-year project led by Arizona State University (US), University of Adelaide (Australia), University of Toronto (Canada), and Cranfield University (UK). The aim is to achieve approximately one dollar per kg of hydrogen [8]. Commenting on the types of hydrogen, and its future in the aluminium industry, Professor Vasilije Manovic, Professor of Carbon Systems Engineering, School of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, said:

“Hydrogen, if sourced from renewables (green hydrogen), provides a highly promising avenue for decarbonising aluminium production. However, additional considerations should be given to the viability of utilising hydrogen produced from fossil fuels and employing carbon capture and storage (CCS), for example, blue hydrogen. I would anticipate that the direct integration of

* The AC value refers to the power consumed by facilities for the smelting process including rectification from AC to DC and normal smelter auxiliaries (including pollution control equipment) up to the point where the liquid aluminium is tapped from the pots. It excludes power used in casting and carbon plants. The DC value is a process efficiency metric, measuring the energy intensity of the electrolytic process as the consumption of DC power after rectification per tonne of liquid aluminium is tapped from the pots.[3]

Three current main types of hydrogen [7]:

� Green hydrogen: Green hydrogen is made by using clean electricity from surplus renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power, to electrolyse water. Electrolysers use an electrochemical reaction to split water into its components of hydrogen and oxygen, emitting zero-carbon dioxide in the process.

� Blue hydrogen: Blue hydrogen is produced mainly from natural gas, using a process called steam reforming, which brings together natural gas and heated water in the form of steam. The output is hydrogen, but carbon dioxide is also produced as a by-product. So, the definition of blue hydrogen includes the use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) to trap and store this carbon.

� Grey hydrogen: Currently, this is the most common form of hydrogen production. Grey hydrogen is created from natural gas, or methane, using steam methane reformation but without capturing the greenhouse gases made in the process. Grey hydrogen is essentially the same as blue hydrogen, but without the use of carbon capture and storage.

(Visit source for more definitions)

CCS with aluminium production is likely to be less technically challenging and more cost-effective than the integration of CCS with hydrogen production, followed using decarbonised hydrogen for aluminium production.

In general, when decarbonising carbonintensive industrial processes using hydrogen, key considerations include the availability of green hydrogen and prioritisation between utilising renewable sources to meet the high energy demands of those processes, as well as the

production and use of green hydrogen for mitigation of inherent process emissions. Green hydrogen represents a long-term solution, while blue hydrogen serves as a short- to mid-term alternative. The latter still needs to prove its competitiveness compared to the direct decarbonisation of industrial processes with inherent process emissions employing CCS.”

Reviewing the figures from the previous section, it is evident that as the demand continues to run parallel and match consumption year on year, the

need for more hydrogen is obvious. The production of more hydrogen is pivotal for hydrogen to be a realistic assistant in the global sustainability agenda. However, it is also clear that hydrogen faces many challenges, globally, let alone the aluminium industry.

Professor Manovic raises an important point: “The latter [blue hydrogen] still needs to prove its competitiveness compared to the direct decarbonisation of industrial processes with inherent process emissions employing CCS.” Assessing whether hydrogen is in the decarbonisation picture at all is essential for the progression of industry. We do not want to take a giant, complex, and expensive detour.

As a solution, perhaps Professor Manovic’s recommendation that green hydrogen becomes a long-term solution, and blue hydrogen a short- to midterm alternative, is what hope looks like. Allowing for time to tell whether hydrogen is indeed a long term, realistic solution.

Looking to hydrogen for a positive future, key players in the aluminium industry are investing in projects, experimentations, and tests to assess the applications that hydrogen could assist with in the aluminium production process. In this article, we will be looking into some of the investments that have experimented with hydrogen application in the secondary production of aluminium, as well as prompting you to question whether hydrogen is on our side.

Or is hydrogen just salt disguised as sugar.

Hydrogen as a fuel to secondary aluminium: Examples already in the industry

Hydro: Hydro Havrand

“Hydro Havrand’s ambition is to be the

** Data from International Aluminium Institute[4] . Note: Electrical power used in primary aluminium production includes power used for electrolysis by the Hall-Héroult processes (including rectification from AC to DC) and normal smelter auxiliaries (including pollution control equipment) up to

Table 1. A Table to Show Primary Aluminium Smelting Energy Intensity 2022

Table 2. Primary Aluminium Smelting Power Consumption 2022

leading provider of industrial fuel switch solutions.” – Jan Helge Mårdalen, Head of Hydro Havrand.

Aluminium and renewable energy company Norsk Hydro, set up Hydro Havrand, in 2021, to with the aim of achieving and investing in a sustainable future[9]. Hydro Havrand is pioneering the fuel switch from fossile alternatives to green hydrogen in aluminium.

Hydo Havrand states that they aim to “develop, operate and own green hydrogen facilities, and provide expertise to enable transition to renewable energy.”[9] They are working on a pipeline of projects[9].

In a previous interview with Aluminium International Today (see Vol.36 No. 5 2023[10]), Per Christian Eriksen, former Head of Hydro Havrand, spoke about the inspiration behind Hydro’s recent test to create the first batch of recycled aluminium with 100% hydrogen fuel, a project that took place in Jun 2023 [11] first batch.

Hydrogen was chosen to decarbonise a “processes where it’s difficult to use electrification directly. This typically refers to the high heat processes and calcination process,” [10] therefore, this test focused on replacing the fuel used in a furnace to melt scrap metal. The project, in collaboration with the Fives Group, worked using an adapted a furnace to suit hydrogen.

Eriksen stated that “One of the biggest challenges we faced was getting a hold of the volume of green hydrogen that we needed to execute these tests. We had two trucks of hydrogen per day during the nine days of testing. We ended up burning around three tonnes of hydrogen during these weeks, and we produced, in total around 200 tonnes of [recycled] aluminium. 150 tonnes of the aluminium were produced using only hydrogen.” [10]

Despite this rather hard to ignore challenge, Hydro have announced that they will be completing a Pilot Test on “local production of hydrogen, with an electrolyser (5 Megawatt), to produce hydrogen leading directly into the furnace.” [10] They have stated that they aim for an industrial scale pilot to work on this set up, in Norway, where they intend on running the furnaces on hydrogen over a longer period. This is scheduled for “a year or two from now.” [10]

However, referring to the figures of global production and observing the figures from this test, one questions once again whether the implementation of hydrogen is truly achievable, or sustainable. Charles Schroer, Vice President, Sales & Marketing - Fives North American Combustion, Inc., when asked whether he believes hydrogen to be a realistic fuel of the future, answered:

“There are many variables with respect to the manufacture, distribution, availability, and cost of hydrogen to be worked out before it will become a realistic fuel. From the perspective of a thermal process solution provider though we, at Fives North American Combustion, plan to be ready if it does become a reality. All we can control is making sure we develop “Hydrogen Proven” products for processes that safely and efficiently combust hydrogen for customers that want to use it on their high temperature thermal processes. We have partnered with early adopter companies such as Hydro Havrand to study the use of hydrogen on their high temperature

thermal processes. Their interest was in the metallurgy and process performance; our interest was in the design and reliability of the combustion system. Both in our test furnaces and at customer sites we have worked with aluminium, forging, steel and whiteware companies to investigate the metallurgical and material effects on their end product when exposed to high temperature hydrogen products of combustion instead of those from natural gas. We have invested over a half million dollars to install a permanent bulk compressed hydrogen gas pad and stainless-steel pipe distribution system to all our lab furnaces so that we can run extended time tests on our burner equipment to confirm their durability and performance with 100% hydrogen under conditions approximating our customers’ thermal processes.”

When asked whether the current Head of Hydro Havrand, Jan Helge Mårdalen, thinks Hydrogen is a realistic fuel of the future, he replied:

“Green hydrogen is key to tackle the hard-to-abate emissions, where direct electrification isn’t an option. The world will not get to zero without green hydrogen. But we need to find the right applications for it. One example could be the high heat processes in industry, where green hydrogen is an alternative to fossil fuels. So yes, green hydrogen is a realistic fuel.”

If we narrow down the use of hydrogen to the production of secondary aluminium, we can establish the conditions where hydrogen has a positive future.

ABD Equipment Co.,Ltd have been professional manufacturers of aluminum profiles surface treatment machines for 20 years.

Since 2003, we have become an extraordinary supplier of aluminum profiles, powder coating lines, anodizing and ED lines, and PVDF lines. We supply 70% of the vertical powder coating lines in China, and supply the Top 20 biggest aluminum extrusion companies in China, all of whom are our customers. At the same time, our machine has been exported to more than 32 countries around the world, including USA, Mexico, Colombia, Dominican Republic, The Republic of Honduras, Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand......

TOGETHER TOWARDS PERFORMANCE

THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW

REEL is on a journey to contribute towards a net-zero aluminium industry.

REEL Aluminium is a major solution provider dedicated to the reduction of the Aluminium industry‘s carbon footprint. This is achieved through both internal and external collaborations and partnerships, new ways of understanding the problem, and the development of innovative technological advancements to achieve net-zero solutions within the Aluminium industry. These efforts assist in REEL‘s goals on its path to decarbonization and a greener Aluminium future.

Novelis and HyNet: Implementing in recycling

In June of 2023, Novelis announced that they were awarded £4.6 million to “establish hydrogen burning trials as part of the UK Government’s £55m Industrial Fuel Switching Competition, as part of the £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), and the wider regional HyNet project.”[13]

Novelis have noted that the first of the trials will used a recycling furnace located at the Novelis Latchford, and the test is expected to take place during 2024. Results of this trial will be announced later this year.

In a press release, Emilio Braghi, Executive Vice President, Novelis, and President, Novelis Europe, stated:

“Switching to renewable energy sources is a key initiative to advance on our journey toward carbon-neutral production.” [13]

Adding to this, Allan Sweeney, Plant Manager, Novelis Latchford stated:

“We are proud to be one of the pioneers using hydrogen within the aluminium industry and that these trials at Latchford will additionally advance research on the viability of integrating hydrogen power in our recycling operations around the world.” [13]

It will be interesting to see what the outcome of this project will be. We will have to sit tight in the meantime.

Rio Tinto: Can hydrogen help reduce emissions in the aluminium industry

In July 2023, Rio Tinto announced it will be building a ‘first of its kind’ hydrogen plant, in partnership with Sumitomo Corporation and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, at their Yarwun alumina refinery in Gladstone, Queensland, Australia.[14]

The project aims to demonstrate the viability of using hydrogen in he calcination process, where hydrated alumina is heated to temperatures of up to 1,00 degrees Celsius. [15]

Providing details of the project, Rio Tinto have stated that:

“The project will consist of construction of a 2.5MW on-site electrolyser to supply green hydrogen to the Yarwun refinery and a retrofit of one of Yarwun’s four calciners so it can operate at times with a hydrogen burner. If successful, the program could pave the way for adoption of the technology at scale globally.

“The trial is expected to produce the equivalent of about 6,000 tonnes of alumina per year while reducing Yarwun’s carbon dioxide emissions by about 3,000 tonnes per year.

“Converting the entire plant to green hydrogen could reduce emissions by 500,000 tonnes per year, which is the equivalent of taking about 109,000

What is HyNet?

HyNet is the leading UK industrial decarbonisation project focused in the North West.

HyNet is made up of several different elements. Together, these elements aim to provide the infrastructure to produce, transport and store low carbon hydrogen across the North West and North Wales. There will also be the infrastructure to capture, transport and lock away carbon dioxide emissions from industry. [12]

internal combustion engine cars off the road.

“Construction will start in 2024. The hydrogen plant and calciner are expected to be in operation by 2025. [14]

This investment, again, shows the dedication to hydrogen within the aluminium industry, and with millions of dollars being invested in projects that intend to go ‘global’, one begins to believe that hydrogen does in fact have a place in the aluminium industry. The top five global hydrogen generation market leaders are: ITM Power plc, Linde plc,

Engie SA, Air Liquide S.A, and Messer Group GmbH,.[16] Four of the five are European companies.

So, what about Governments, policies, and wider assistance? Are we looking at local hydrogen or global hydrogen?

Making Hydrogen stable: The UK Government

It is well known that Hydrogen is highly flammable. With this, and many other challenges in mind, the success of hydrogen implementation within any industry is the surrounding support that strengthens this fuel. Without Government and policies, hydrogen will not be successful.

We have already seen global research and development projects, such as HyPT, and large local projects, which work with global players, such as HyNet. So now let’s look closer into government support: The UK has announced funds for the investment of hydrogen, the Hydrogen Production Business Model (HPBM) and Net Zero Hydrogen Fund (NZHF).

What are the intentions of The Hydrogen Production Business Model (HPBM) and Net Zero Hydrogen Fund (NZHF): [17]

� Kickstart the low carbon hydrogen economy across the UK, helping meet the ambition of up to 1GW of electrolytic hydrogen production capacity in operation or construction by 2025,

� Deploy at scale at the earliest opportunity, advancing government’s aim to deploy up to 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030, subject to affordability and VfM, with at least half from electrolytic hydrogen production capacity, and to do so at affordable costs by harnessing economies of scale. This could potentially unlock up to £11 billion of private investment and support more than 12,000 jobs by 2030,

� Help deliver carbon savings to allow us to stay on track to meet Carbon Budget 5, Carbon Budget 6 and other net zero commitments, by providing hydrogen to a range of end user sectors.

The first Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR 1: July 2022) announced 11 successful projects, totalling 125 MW capacity.[21] Over £90 million from the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund has been allocated in support of these projects [21]. But how many of these projects were rejected? And, how many will continue to be successful. The UK Government anticipate that the first projects will become operational in 2025. How many will make it to 2030?

HAR 3 has already been announced, despite projects from HAR 1 predicted to start in 2025. This could be seen as long-

What is the UK standard of low carbon hydrogen?

The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero have published a UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard. This standard was published after a report on the ‘options for a UK low carbon hydrogen standard [18] and Consultation from the government on ‘designing a UK low carbon hydrogen standard [19]

There is now a version three of this standard, and a low carbon calculator for industry to use to calculate their standard of hydrogen.

The 169-page standard with numerous criteria’s, requests for endless data, and space for the unknown, sums up how simple defining low carbon hydrogen is. I wonder, does this UK standard differ from the EU, USA, China, Far East, African, South American, Russian, Australian, Middle East etc definition. Does that mean we have to reed 100 plus pages for each standard?

View the UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard through reference [20]

term thinking, or it could be considered as a rash decision to satisfy the industry in the short term.

With obvious millions, and perhaps billions being spent on the investment of the hydrogen industry, it is clear that we will be taking this path with or without my scepticism, and multiple questions. However, what is clear is that without government collaboration hydrogen would not have a future.

Industry Point of View

Fives, when asked what the biggest challenge is when looking into hydrogen for industry, their opinion of a solution, and what their advice is to the industry, Charles Schroer, Vice President, Sales & Marketing - Fives North American Combustion, Inc. replied:

“Each industrial customer will face different challenges when looking into the use of hydrogen to replace their carbon-based fuels. The challenges are many and well documented: manufacture of hydrogen, availability in sufficient quantities, the distribution network, and its cost to name a few. Many of these challenges are outside the control of the industrial customers. Our advice to industry is to be ready for the day when hydrogen is your only available fuel: start preparing now. Work with suppliers to run tests now to confirm the effect that hydrogen will have on the quality of your product. From these tests determine if your thermal processes need to be changed to maintain the quality of product you currently manufacture. Investigate your internal gas distribution system to confirm its compatibility with a hydrogen fuel. Start to train your people to safely work around hydrogen pipelines. Make the lists of equipment and action items that would need to change or be upgraded to work with hydrogen. You have the time now to study what you

need to do to make the conversion to a “Hydrogen Proven” process; spend your time wisely and be ready. Fives stands ready to support its customers and all industry players looking to make the transition to hydrogen.”

Alternative methods of producing primary aluminium are well known for keeping the industry in suspense: Elysis being the biggest culprit. Hydro have come forward with HalZero technology aimed at revolutionising this primary process. When asked whether he thinks hydrogen will be compatible with HalZero Technology/ high energy demanding processes, Jan Helge Mårdalen replied: Well, hydrogen and HalZero really address different parts of the primary aluminium production process. HalZero is a revolutionary technology that can replace the current CO2-emitting

electrolysis process in the production of primary aluminium. This step is where the white powder alumina is made into liquid aluminium metal. But after the alumina has been made into aluminium, it still needs to go into a casthouse and be formed to aluminium moulds. The casting require high heat temperature, and is often today fueled by natural gas. By replacing natural gas with green hydrogen, we can remove these emissions.

Conclusion

Per Christian Erikson, when asked whether he considers hydrogen as a feasible global solution, he replied:

“Definitely. That is one of the motivations for doing these tests. The roadmap, at this stage, aims to bring up the maturity level of both the technology and the hydrogen to later implement these permanently in the process of producing aluminium. So, this is definitely the plan. The pilot project aims to assist this vision, and to bring this fuel switch technology to full maturity.”[10]

Predictions that demand for hydrogen will reach 500MtH2 by 2050, relying on carbon capture and storage to qualify as low carbon, which means that for now there is a clear need for more hydrogen. Hydrogen has a long way to go and requires a lot of global monetary investment for it to be the saviour, and it also needs a global standard.

It seems like secondary aluminium is the place for hydrogen. However, and without going on a tangent, it has long been known that the demands for aluminium cannot be satisfied by the quantity produced by secondary aluminium alone,

40

as each year demand continues to rise. Plus, the quantity and accessibility to scrap metal is yet another issue that we must contend with and consider. Of all the issues we face, knowing that people want more of our material is a juxtaposing blessing and curse.

I look forward to seeing how our adaptable aluminium adapts to this fuel.

I suppose with great power comes great responsibility. �

References and Citations:

[1] Norwegian hydrogen, Norwegian Hydrogen. Available at: https:// norwegianhydrogen.com/greenhydrogen/facts-about-hydrogen (Accessed: 24 January 2024).

[2] Cardarelli, François (2008). Materials handbook: A concise desktop reference (2nd ed.). London: Springer. pp. 158–163. ISBN 978-1-84628-669-8. Available at: https://books.google.co.uk/ books?id=PvU-qbQJq7IC&printsec=fr ontcover&source=gbs_ViewAPI&redir_ esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

[3] Primary aluminium smelting energy intensity - International Aluminium Institute (2022) International Aluminium Institute. Available at: https:// international-aluminium.org/statistics/ primary-aluminium-smelting-energyintensity/ (Accessed: 24 January 2024).

[4] Primary aluminium smelting power consumption - International Aluminium Institute (2022) International Aluminium Institute. Available at: https://internationalaluminium.org/statistics/primaryaluminium-smelting-power-consumption/ (Accessed: 24 January 2024).

[5] Global Hydrogen Review 2023International Energy Agency (IEA) (2023) Global Hydrogen Review 2023 . Available at: https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/ ecdfc3bb-d212-4a4c-9ff7-6ce5b1e19cef/ GlobalHydrogenReview2023.pdf (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[6] Goodall, C. (2021) Some rules of thumb of the hydrogen economy, Carbon Commentary. Available at: https://www. carboncommentary.com/blog/2021/6/11/ some-rules-of-thumb-of-the-hydrogeneconomy (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[7] The hydrogen colour spectrum (2023) National Grid Group. Available at: https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/ energy-explained/hydrogen-colourspectrum#:~:text=Why%20is%20a%20 colourless%20gas,between%20the%20 types%20of%20hydrogen (Accessed: 24 January 2024).

[8] Cranfield University at the forefront of new £14.1m Global Initiative to Transform Net Zero Hydrogen production

(2023) Cranfield University. Available at: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/press/ news-2023/cranfield-at-the-forefront-ofnew-global-initiative-to-transform-netzero-hydrogen-production (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[9] Hydro Havrand (2023) Hydro.com. Available at: https://www.hydro.com/ en-GB/energy/hydrogen/ (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[10] Awan, Z. (2023) ‘Worlds first batch of recycled aluminium using Hydrogen ’, Aluminium International Today , pp. 20–22.

[11] World’s first batch of recycled aluminium using hydrogen fuelled production (2023) Hydro.com. Available at: https://www.hydro.com/en-GB/media/ news/2023/worlds-first-batch-of-recycledaluminium-using-hydrogen-fueledproduction/#:~:text=Hydro%20has%20 produced%20the%20world’s,of%20 aluminium%20during%20the%20test (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[12] Hynet North West (no date) HyNet. Available at: https://hynet.co.uk/ (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[13] Toward carbon neutral production: Novelis to trial use of hydrogen in recycling furnaces (2023) Novelis. Available at: https://www.novelis.com/toward-carbonneutral-production-novelis-to-trialuse-of-hydrogen-in-recycling-furnaces/ (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[14] Could hydrogen help reduce emissions in the aluminium industry? (2023) Rio Tinto. Available at: https:// www.riotinto.com/en/news/stories/ could-hydrogen-help-reduce-emissions (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[15] Rio Tinto and Sumitomo to build Gladstone Hydrogen Pilot Plant to... (2023) Aluminium International Today. Available at: https://aluminiumtoday.com/ news/rio-tinto-and-sumitomo-to-buildgladstone-hydrogen-pilot-plant-to-triallower-carbon-alumina-refining (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[16] Hydrogen generation market - Report, Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024 - 2029). Available at: https://www.mordorintelligence.com/ industry-reports/hydrogen-generation-

market (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[17] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (2023) Hydrogen production business model / net zero hydrogen fund: Successful projects, GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/hydrogen-productionbusiness-model-net-zero-hydrogenfund-shortlisted-projects (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[18] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (2021) Options for a UK low carbon hydrogen standard: Report, GOV. UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/ government/publications/options-for-auk-low-carbon-hydrogen-standard-report (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[19] Department for Business, (2022) Designing a UK low carbon hydrogen standard, GOV.UK. Available at: https:// www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ designing-a-uk-low-carbon-hydrogenstandard (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[20] Department for Business, (2022) Designing a UK low carbon hydrogen standard, GOV.UK. Available at: https:// www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ designing-a-uk-low-carbon-hydrogenstandard (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[21] Hydrogen production business model / net zero hydrogen fund: HAR1 successful projects (published December 2023) (2023) GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov. uk/government/publications/hydrogenproduction-business-model-net-zerohydrogen-fund-shortlisted-projects/ hydrogen-production-business-modelnet-zero-hydrogen-fund-har1-successfulprojects (Accessed: 14 February 2024).

[22] Hydro at Herøya contributes to zero emissions in the aluminium industry (no date) Herøya Industrial Park. Available at: https://www.heroya-industripark.no/en/ news/hydro-at-heroeya-contributes-tozero-emissions-in-the-aluminium-industry (Accessed: 20 February 2024).

[23] Halzero process (no date) Hydro. com. Available at: https://www.hydro. com/en-GB/media/on-the-agenda/hydrosroadmap-to-zero-emission-aluminiumproduction/halzero-zero-emissionelectrolysis-from-hydro/ (Accessed: 20 February 2024).

What the packaging recycling industry wants to see in 2024

Tom Giddings* looks to the year ahead and explains what the aluminium packaging recycling industry wants to see in 2024.

When we look back over the past 12 months, it’s likely to go down in history as a year of frustration for the packaging value chain. Delays to expected consultations, disappointing decisions from the government and fluctuating PRN prices all played their part.

However, there were, of course, numerous upsides too. Finally receiving a consultation response regarding DRS was a massive step in the right direction, while setting an official date for the mandatory recycling of kerbside and commercial food waste put real fire power behind tackling a growing environmental challenge.

In addition, while consistency in collections legislation may have been shelved as part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s net-zero shake-up, Simpler Recycling will take us a welcome step forward towards a more uniform material scope for kerbside recycling collections and a higher recycling rate for England. It

must be said that the opportunity for the future looks incredibly bright.

For those of us working towards achieving a more circular economy, it’s therefore important to see 2024 as a year of progress, decision-making and action – an opportunity to build momentum and drive real, positive, proactive change. From an aluminium perspective, this can be condensed down into three key asks:

1. A record year for aluminium packaging recycling rates Aluminium packaging recycling in the UK continues to go from strength to strength. Continued investment into awareness and education initiatives is helping to drive widespread behavioural change, with households appreciating both the environmental and economic value of best practice recycling.

The latest PRN data perfectly reflects this impressive growth. In September 2023,

*Executive Director of Alupro.

for example, the industry had already achieved 92% of its annual obligation (an uplift from 116,439 tonnes to 137,275 tonnes compared to the same period in 2022), with aluminium collected through kerbside, bring, on-the-go and via incinerator bottom ash (IBA) all rising.

While some industry critics had suggested that the high recycling rates reported during the COVID-19 pandemic were just a short-term trend, it’s positive to see that impressive volumes and positive consumer recycling behaviours have continued.

In 2024, we’d like to see even higher collection and recycling volumes of aluminium packaging. After all, we’re hugely ambitious about aluminium’s role within a circular packaging economy and we’re committed to leading from the front. If PRN prices remain realistic, we see no reason as to why this shouldn’t happen.

2. Real progress when it comes to future legislation

With policy now progressing fast, the next 12 months should be seen as a period of real opportunity. Specifically, we’d like to see progress made in appointing a DRS scheme administrator, as well as the detail of the scheme finally bottomed out. We’d also like to see further momentum made towards agreeing a series of decisions that will ensure the scheme’s best possible long-term output. You can read our thoughts in further detail here.

Elsewhere, we welcome the formation of an EPR steering group and think that Margaret Bates is an excellent appointment as interim Head of the UK Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging Scheme Administrator. Let’s now accelerate momentum and ensure that it delivers fair proposals, while securing widespread input from the wider supply chain.

3. Clear, consistent, creative communication

As we move ever closer towards a bright new future for the recycling industry, relevant, timely and consistent communication is more important than ever. We’re proud to be continuing

with our hugely successful aluminium packaging recycling programmes (MetalMatters and Every Can Counts) and remain committed to flying the flag – both in terms of awareness and education. Our initiatives delivered widespread

benefit in 2023 and proved instrumental in increasing consumer engagement across the UK. Results from our programmes highlighted the real value of communication, as well as changing consumer behaviours when it comes to

best practice recycling.

In 2024, we’ll continue to lead by example. However, banging the drum when it comes to consumer education is a gauntlet that we all must pick up and I’d like to see this happening across the wider packaging value chain. After all, with new legislation looming and widespread change likely, communicating with clarity, consistency and creativity must remain our utmost priority.

While 2023 might go down on record as somewhat of a frustrating year, the next 12 months are perfectly positioned to deliver progress, decision-making and action. Personally, I believe that our most important priorities are striving to reach ever higher recycling rates, inspiring real momentum when it comes to future legislation, and communicating with clarity.

As a sector we have the opportunity to build real momentum. It’s certainly an exciting time ahead, but collaboration is key to achieving the best possible results. �

For more information about the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation, visit www.alupro.org.uk.

Ma’aden and Hexagon partner to launch region’s first digital mine

Saudi Arabian mining company Ma’aden, and Hexagon have announced that they have partnered to launch the Middle East’s very first digital mine.

Hexagon’s life-of-mine technology solutions are being successfully deployed at Mansoura Massarah mine, combining sensor, software, and autonomous technologies to enhance efficiency, productivity, quality and safety across the mine’s operations.

Located in the central Arabian region, the Mansourah Massarah represents Ma’aden’s largest and most technologically advanced gold mine. It consists of the Mansourah and Massarah resources, which are being developed as conventional open-pit mines.

The Mansourah deposit is estimated to

hold 27.7 million tonnes of proven and probable ore reserves grading 5.06 g/t gold, while the reserves estimates for the Massarah open-pit stand at 17.3 million tonnes grading 1.99 g/t gold.

Anchoring the open-pit mines is a 4-million-tonne-per-year plant that employs carbon-in-leach and pressure oxidation processes and autoclave technologies for ore production. The project reached first gold pour in September 2022, and is expected to produce 250,000 oz. of gold annually over an estimated mine life of 12 years.

Duncan Bradford, Executive Vice President Base Metals and New Metals, Ma’aden, said: “This partnership strongly aligns with our digitisation strategy, as

we work to use the vast amounts of data that we mine to make our mine safer and more efficient. We look forward to working closely with Hexagon to implement and utilise the region’s first digital mine to elevate Mansourah Massara’s operations.”

Nick Hare, President of Hexagon’s Mining division, said: “We are excited to help bring to life this important shift toward digitisation of the mine, one that holistically leverages intelligent data and automation across workflows to minimise the impacts of mining while simultaneously improving safety, productivity and operational efficiency. This is about co-authoring the next chapter of mining in this region with a partner who shares in our drive toward a sustainable future.” �

Rail mounted charging machines for melting furnace applications

Introduction:

RIA Cast House Engineering provides precision rail-mounted Cast House proven Charging and Skimming equipment for Aluminium Cast Houses worldwide. The design and development of all RiA Machines take reliability, durability, maintenance and occupational safety into account. RiA has supplied over eighty Furnace Charging and Skimming Machines, all rail-mounted and capable of Charging up to 30 Metric Tonnes in less than 90 seconds or Skimming a Furnace faster than a traditional Forklift Truck or wheeled Furnace Tending Vehicle, but with more repeatable results and without damaging the refractory lining. Key customers include Hydro, Constellium, Matalco, and many others. Several clients have multiple Machines in the same Cast House or across multiple sites and territories. One client alone has implemented more than thirty RiA Machines in ten different countries.

RiA installed their first rail mounted Charging and Skimming Machine pair in 2001, both of which are still in operation today after 23 years of continuous operation. Since this installation, the furnaces supplied to the aluminium remelting market have transformed to satisfy the growing demand for aluminium scrap recycling and the increased recycling of contaminated scrap. RiA’s product offering has grown with the changing landscape of aluminium remelting furnaces and today RiA offer robust and reliable rail mounted Charging

and Skimming Machines to serve a varied range of furnace types that includes Multi-Chamber and Tilt Rotary Furnace applications that are now common features of Cast Houses around the world.

RiA Charging Machine for MultiChamber Furnace Applications

RiA rail mounted, precision Furnace Charging Machines for Multi Chamber Furnaces typically operate differently to a standard Charging Machine serving a single chamber reverberatory furnace. Smaller volumes of scrap are charged within each charging cycle, however the pushes are more frequent and continuous.

Multi-Chamber Furnaces typically operate with a clean chamber and a dirty chamber which includes a hearth that scrap is charged onto. RiA’s rail mounted Furnace Charging Machine regularly deposits material on to the scrap hearth, pushing the material at the end of the hearth into the bath, therefore creating room on the hearth for the next charge.

With such regular charges required when running this type of operation, an efficient and reliable Charging Machine is essential to a productive and efficient operation to ensure cycle times are as fast as possible and down time is kept to a minimum to allow for a constant feed of input material into the furnace.

Each RiA rail mounted Furnace Charging

machine is bespoke and engineered to serve the furnace(s) they tend, and RiA’s Multi Chamber Furnace Charging Machine is no exception. Our Charging Machine container fills the width and height of the charging door, and the stroke of the container is configured based on the furnace operation and the length of the hearth. Scrap material is then distributed evenly distributed across the length and breadth of the hearth to allow the combustion system access to the material for preheat and removal of contaminants.

The RiA Multi-Chamber Furnace Charing Machine pictured in Figure 1, recently commissioned, swivels 90 degrees, in front of the Furnace. A fume hood connects with the Furnace giving more opportunity to the furnace fume hood to capture any off gases that may leave the furnace when the door opens, can be seen in figure 2. Typically the Charging cycle, the process of adding more material onto the hearth of the furnace is less than 90 seconds, minimising the door opening time and conserving energy. Fig 1

Although this RiA Charging Machine is serving a Multi-Chamber furnace, the core RiA philosophy remains as the machine is fully automated, without an Operator Cabin, nor Operator onboard. The Charge cycle is initiated from a single push button on a remote Operator Desk in a safe location. Therefore, maximising the safety

Fig 1. RiA Multi-Chamber Furnace Charging Machine with the ability to rotate 90 degrees for easier loading

Fig 2. RiA Multi-Chamber Furnace Charging Machine with retractable fume hood

for operators and ensuring a safe and efficient charge, every time. Fig 2

RiA Charging Machine for Tilt Rotary Furnace Applications

Building on the knowledge and expertise acquired from RiA’s extensive Charging Machine reference list, in 2023, RiA commissioned their first rail mounted pusher type Charging Machine to serve a Tilt Rotary Furnace. The design and development of all RiA Machines take reliability, durability, maintenance and occupational safety into account. RiA’s pusher type TRF Charging Machine is no different, as you can see in Fig 1

The machine pictured in fig 3 is designed and engineered to charge up to 10 metric tonnes of material in under 90 seconds. Conventional methods often consist of charging Tilt Rotary Furnaces with a wheel loader or a vibratory feeder. Wheel loaders are limited by the size of the bucket, typically charging 1 or 2 metric tonnes of material, meaning the charging process takes longer which limits the productivity of the tilt rotary furnace. Using wheel loaders to charge a Tilt Rotary Furnace also requires the operator to be near and in front of the furnace during the charging process, you will notice the RiA machine pictured in figure 1 has no operator cabin on board the machine. Once loaded with the charge material, from the push of a single button the machine will move to the furnace, send a signal to the furnace PLC to open the door, charge the furnace and then move back to the loading position. To avoid any risk loading the machine at height, this machine is equipped with a scissor lift to allow for the machine to be loaded at a safe height.

Above each wheel block the Charging Machine is equipped with load cells, the charge weight is then displayed on a screen nearby the loading position enabling Cast House operators to monitor the scrap weight per charge. This ensures the furnace is being charged with the correct charge weight and ensures it is simple to monitor material flows through the Cast House.

RiA have engineered the adjustable pusher plate of the Charging Machine to fit closely to the inner walls of the charge container and Charging Machine nose to ensure it is possible to charge fine material and even salt using the Charging Machine.

Although vibratory feeders also eliminate the requirement for an operator to be on board the machine, when charging dross and loose material the vibrating action can create excess dust and fume, as well as noise, which causes its own health, safety and environmental concerns for those working in close proximity. Maintenance

breakdowns can also commonly become an issue with a vibratory machine over time.

RiA provide a remote desk where an operator can view the machines operation from a safe location through a camera mounted on a mast at the rear of the machine. Joysticks are also integrated within the desk to allow for manual movement of the machine if required in maintenance mode for example, however in typical operation the machine operates from the push of a button with no other operator interaction required.

Each RiA rail mounted Furnace Charging machine is bespoke and engineered to serve the furnace they tend, and the new Pusher Type Tilt Rotary Charging Machines are no exception. The diameter of the furnace door is used to calculate the diameter of the nose of the Charging Machine. With laser positioning, the refractory around the door of the furnace is protected from accidental collisions which can occur when charging dross and scrap with a wheel loader. An operator charging a furnace with a wheeled vehicle does not have the same limits, control and repeatability that a laser positioned rail mounted Charging Machine does. When Charging large pieces of scrap and dross skulls for example, it is inevitable that charging them inside the furnace door on a very frequent basis is going to

cause rapid wear of the refractory around the door, potentially impacting the door sealing and therefore furnace performance whilst also leading to regular downtime and expensive repairs.

With Tilt Rotary Furnaces in the market now exceeding 60 metric tonnes in capacity, it Is more important than ever to charge the material in the quickest, safest and most energy efficient way possible.

RiA Charging Machine for Reverberatory Furnace Applications

Parallel to engineering new, efficient and robust Charging Machine solutions for varied furnace applications, RiA have continued to improve and enhance their Charging Machine solutions for single chamber reverberatory furnaces. It is now over 20 years since RiA’s first Charging Machine installations, and those machines are still in operation today.

Through continuous development, the machines looks vastly different today and they have the ability to operate autonomously, not only not having an operator on board but utilising In-Furnace smart cameras to monitor the height of the scrap pile within the furnace and signalling to the Charging Machine to charge the furnace at the earliest and safest time, every time. Ensuring maximum throughput of material into the furnace whilst safeguarding operators.

RiA have now successfully designed and installed Charging Machines with a capacity of 30 metric tonnes of scap material that can be charged into a furnace in less than 90 seconds. The machine pictured in Fig 4 charges 20 metric tonnes in less than 90 seconds, considerably faster than if that volume of material was to be loaded with a fork lift truck or wheel loader, all without an operator needing to be on the machine or exposed to the potential hazards that charging a furnace can pose.

Whilst furnace configurations have changed in recent years, so have the size of furnaces, and RiA now supply Charging Machines that are serving furnaces in excess of 120 metric tonnes. Furnaces of this size have wide doors and deep hearths so it is vital that the Charging Machine serving the furnace has sufficient stroke to penetrate deep into the furnace to deliver the charge evenly from the very back, right to the front, to ensure a shallower scrap pile with a larger surface area to achieve the fastest melt rates. The growth of RiA Charging Machines has been simultaneous with the growth of melting furnaces as end users and furnace suppliers understand the need to have efficient and safe furnace charging practices when charging increased amounts of scrap into larger furnaces. �

Fig 4. RiA Charging Machine serving a single chamber reverb furnace

Fig 3. RiA’s Pusher Type Tilt Rotary Furnace Charging Machine

The Future Aluminium Forum is set to return and will take place in Istanbul on the 21-23 May 2024.

The Forum was originally developed to explore the transformational impact of digital technologies in the aluminium manufacturing processes and by hosting this next edition in Istanbul, we will be looking to uncover the potential to revolutionise the industry in Turkey and the surrounding regions.

By bringing together major aluminium manufacturers, suppliers of digital and sustainable technologies, and industry experts, the Forum aims to foster collaboration and knowledgesharing, paving the way for a more e cient, sustainable, and competitive aluminium sector.

INTERESTED IN EXHIBITING OR SPONSORING?

Please contact Nathan Jupp, Commercial Sales Director

+44 (0)1737 855 027 nathanjupp@quartzltd.com

Industry Events

Alumina 2024, the 12th AQW International Conference, Exhibition and Workshop, will be held the Grand Hyatt Conference Centre in Dubai, UAE, from 21st to 26th April 2024. As a readily accessible hub for global participation at the centre of major regional developments in alumina and aluminium production, this is the ideal location for this first AQW Conference outside Australia. Alumina 2024 will be a stand-out event in the Alumina Quality Workshop (AQW) tradition of “for the industry, by the industry” with a worldclass program and opportunities for networking and sharing knowledge with over 300 delegates from the alumina industry, academia, suppliers, and other stakeholders from all over the world.

The Conference Theme “Beyond the

Cycle” challenges us to look beyond the familiar cycles of economic and technological development for the innovations essential to transform alumina production to the low carbon, low environmental impact industry that the future world demands.

The “Net Zero Alumina Refining” Workshop on Friday 25 April, sponsored by the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), will address the Challenges and Knowledge Gaps in adapting our refineries for GHG Emission Reductions and the Circular Economy. It will examine the implementation gaps in the adoption of decarbonisation technologies to answer questions such as - Are we ready for tomorrow’s low-carbon technologies? What happens to existing heat and energy

minimisation systems? What are our blind spots, and what don’t we know that we don’t know…?

The Registration and Welcome event on Sunday 21 April will be followed by upwards of 70 papers to be presented in the three-day Technical Program (2224 April). Alumina 2024 will follow the usual AQW format of common plenaries followed by parallel technical sessions on topics including Decarbonisation; Process - Design & Optimisation, - Management & Maintenance, - Chemistry; Analysis & Product Quality; Education & Training; Environment, Health & Safety; Bauxite Characterisation & Digestion; Residue Management & Utilisation.

Poster sessions will be held at designated times in an adjacent area and breaks

Aerial of Al Taweelah alumina refinery ATA 2019

between sessions will be held in the Exhibition and Poster spaces to promote discussion and networking.

Technical Tours of EGA’s world-leading Al Taweela alumina refinery and smelter will be available on Thursday, 24 April. Morning and afternoon tours of each will ensure that delegates will have the opportunity to visit both facilities in small groups.

EGA’s Al Taweelah smelter was built in two phases. The first began production in 2009, and the second in 2013. On completion it was the largest single-site smelter in the world, extending over six square kilometres. In 2019, the site became the first in the Middle East to receive certification to the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative Performance Standards, the aluminium industry’s internationally recognised standard for environmental and social performance and governance.

EGA built Al Taweelah alumina refinery next to the smelter, and it began production in 2019. The refinery is the first in the UAE and only the second in the Middle East. It supplies over 45 per cent of EGA’s alumina needs.

AQW is committed to fostering

education and promoting the alumina industry as a great career choice for technology professionals. We strongly encourage student participation in the Conference, and will provide discount registration, financial and mentoring support to students arriving from overseas and wishing to present their work at Alumina 2024.

The conference provides an excellent social program to enable delegates to network and share experiences in the exciting milieu of ultra-modern Dubai and the Grand Hyatt. In addition to networking opportunities throughout the Conference

week, an informal Dinner Event will be held on the Viewing Deck of Palace Downtown on the evening of Tuesday 23rd April. The AQW Gala Conference Dinner and Awards Ceremony will be held at the Grand Hyatt on Wednesday 24th April.

The Alumina 2024 Exhibition will continue the tradition of excellence of AQW Conferences, showcasing the latest in technology from suppliers. It will be held in an Exhibition Hall adjacent to the Conference presentation areas with co-located breakout and refreshment facilities to foster networking. �

BORON NITRIDE BLUE BORON NITRIDE WHITE RODACOAT ZB (ZIRCON) RODACOAT RB (MULLITE)

Non-wetting moldable Cleanwool moldable

Mastic 85R

Mastic 85B

Fiber cone

Blanket

Fiber rope

Launder Sock

A job where you matter.

At Hydro, we put our people at the center of everything we do. By supporting our employees’ growth professionally and personally, we are fostering a community of colleagues who are united in the shared purpose of solving our industries’ most pressing challenges.

Want to be part of industries that matter?

Learn more and apply at hydro.com/careers