The Fastmarkets International Aluminium 2024 conference began on the 10th of September. Taking place in Athens, the historic city of innovation and development, the conference provided a platform for the industry to present updates on the latest industry trends and advancements.
Innovative meets reality: Workshops
Day one of the conference welcomed attendees to Workshops hosted by ICSOBA, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), and the European Aluminium association.
The workshops discussed the latest technologies, trends, as well as challenges that the industry contends with in the current climate.
Looking into technology; Inert Anodes have long promised the industry with a carbon free alternative to producing primary aluminium. But the anticipation of this technology has been met by years of delayed updates and postponement.
“In 2007 we heard ‘we have the science, but not the technology.’ Now we are in 2024, and we have been told that the technology, that should have been scaled for industry by now, is not expected to be ready for another 6 years.”
– Halvor Kvande, Retired Professor at Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and Retired from Norsk Hydro.
Kvande positioned the workshop at a different angle; are Inert Anodes the “future of the aluminium industry?”
The workshop pondered alternative technologies, assessed the timeline, and questioned whether a need to change the process is necessary. It came to light that despite the CO2 emissions from Carbon anodes and Electrolysis (direct emissions) being 21% of the total global average emissions, the greatest contributor to global emissions are the indirect emissions from power production for electrolysis. These indirect emissions are responsible for 61% of the global average emissions produced by the aluminium industry. (International Aluminium Institute 2022)
Continuing the topic of emissions and where the industry should focus their attention, Chris Bayliss, Climate Change and Decarbonisation Director provided information on the ASI GHG Pathways Method. Opening the floor to discuss their experiences with emissions, the audience came to agree that there is a need for a green energy transition. In his Day two presentation, Bayliss noted that low carbon power will contribute to reducing the sectors GHG emissions by 55% – 60%.
In previous workshops, attendees commented on de-globalisation, tricky geopolitics, energy frustrations, etc. Unsurprisingly, these factors are interlinked and hinder change and development in technology.
So, lets devise a plan to combat the barriers… But what if we do not understand the barriers.
European Aluminium Director of Climate & Energy, Emanuele Manigrassi, opened the floor to discuss the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). This provided the audience with the opportunity to discuss one of the many issues the industry faces today. Focusing on de-globalisation, members of the audience who represented non-EU countries expressed their frustrations when it comes to providing the information that CBAM requires. It raised the questions as to whether CBAM is beneficial to the European industry, or if it is a self-destructive concept isolating the EU further from the rest of the world.
Manigrassi summarised that there is no solid line when it comes to CBAM. Representing the European Aluminium association, not the European Commission, he advised the industry to look to third parties for assistance and read the documents available to the industry. ASI Chris Bayliss suggested that the industry take a step back and not attempt to get the most accurate number; “a single decimal should suffice.”
And so, the first day set the scene for Fastmarkets International Aluminium 2024. It seams that the industries saving technology is in the hands of geopolitics, climate change, energy, and many other factors. This was further discussed on Day two.
The conference’s final day will take place on the 12th September.