New data from the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), claims the IAI, has revealed the aluminium industry’s achievements in reducing energy efficiency in the industry’s continuous sustainability quest.
The data release coincides with a series of announcements in the lead up to COP26 in Glasgow.
Energy usage accounts for over two-thirds of the industry’s global greenhouse gas emissions. Previous results from the 2020 Global Energy Survey, conducted by the IAI, provided evidence of an industry customising pathways to tackling the problem.
The annual survey, which had a 90 per cent response rate across the global industry, demonstrated the use of sustainable production processes and competently managed to reduce its impact on the environment.
The report summarised reports on a reduced energy intensity in both refining and smelting from 2010-20 and an increase in the use of renewable energy.
Commenting on the data, Linlin Wu IAI’s Manager – Statistical Analysis said:
“Our industry has kept the momentum in energy efficiency improvement during the pandemic, with average energy intensity of both smelting and refining improving by about 0.5% compared to the previous year. This is testament to the industry’s commitment to continuous improvement in emissions reduction. It also demonstrates our commitment to providing transparency of footprint across the entire aluminium value chain”.
Linlin Wu IAI’s Manager – Statistical Analysis
Data from the survey revealed that over the past decade, global production of primary aluminium and metallurgical alumina (aluminium oxide) has increased by 54% and 50%, respectively. Despite this vast production increase, refining energy intensity reduced by 25% and electrolysis energy intensity decreased by 4%. The impact of this 10-year energy saving is the equivalent of 3.2 TeraWatt – or the annual energy consumption of a country like Jamaica.
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