Hydro produces first near-zero aluminium in Clervaux
Hydro’s recycling plant in Clervaux, Luxembourg, has recently produced 130 tonnes of near-zero carbon aluminium with 100 % post-consumer aluminium scrap.
When launching its new sustainability ambitions at Capital Markets Day in December last year, Hydro announced its intention to deliver its first commercial volumes of near-zero carbon aluminium in 2022, with less than 0.5 kg CO2/kg aluminium, through the value chain. This production cornerstone is a significant improvement, compared with the current 2.3 kg CO2/kg aluminium in Hydro Circal extrusion ingot with 75 % post-consumer aluminium scrap.
Near-zero carbon aluminium with 100 % post-consumer aluminium scrap
“We are very happy to have used 100 % post-consumer aluminium scrap to produce the first 130 t of Hydro Circal 100R, and look forward to optimizing our production further. The main challenge with using 100 % scrap is to meet the needed composition for the alloy. This was achieved by using a mixture of scrap qualities in a precise way,” says Ludovic Dardinier, plant manager at Hydro Clervaux.
Hydro to double recycling of post-consumer waste
Hydro’s 2025 strategy aims to strengthen Hydro’s position in low-carbon aluminium by investing in recycling. Hydro has set a strategic ambition to double its recycling of post-consumer scrap (PCS) and to increase annual recycling Ebitda by a range of NOK 0.7-1.1 bn by 2025. The use of post-consumer scrap significantly reduces the CO2 footprint compared to pre-consumer / process scrap as well as primary aluminium.
Hydro is discussing with interested customers the first potential commercial applications of this ultra-low-carbon product. “With ever-increasing consumer awareness of the importance of how the material in the items they purchase is produced, Hydro’s unique ability to deliver Circal 100R provides our customers a responsibly-sourced and manufactured material, available for a number of applications, to meet this demand,” says Trond Olaf Christophersen, head of Recycling at Hydro.
Volvo Cars is sharpening its CO2 emissions reduction target as well as building plans to utilize near-zero emission steel and aluminium.
Hydro and US company Padnos have formed a joint venture to enable more upcycling of post-consumer aluminium scrap.
Closed Loop Partners Venture Group recently invested in Found Energy, a company working in the field of circular energy production.