Irizar e-mobility, a Spanish company that produces electromobility solutions for cities, will be the first company to use Hydro Extrusions’ recycled aluminum profiles produced from green hydrogen in their products. The aluminum profiles will be used in the bodywork of their electric vehicles, such as the “ie tram,” a zero-emission bus with the appearance of a tram (pictured above).
“We reached an important milestone with the successful use of green hydrogen to produce recycled aluminium in Navarra,” said Bruno D’hondt, senior vice president of Hydro Extrusions Europe. “E-mobility is one of our key markets where aluminium profiles contribute with lighter weight and improved safety. Irizar e-mobility is, like Hydro, working towards more sustainable products. They are a perfect partner for us.”
Recycling of aluminum requires only 5% of the energy used in primary aluminum production. Nevertheless, recycling is a high heat process and to further decarbonize it, alternatives to direct electrification need to be considered. Green hydrogen represents a very promising alternative to remove the hard-to-abate emissions in these processes. By replacing natural gas with carbon-free green hydrogen made from renewable energy, the direct emissions from the production phase can essentially be removed entirely. According to Hydro, if the input scrap is 100% post-consumer aluminum scrap, the result would essentially be zero-carbon aluminum. Achieving this is part of Hydro’s roadmap to zero, which consists of three main paths — recycling, carbon capture and storage, and zero-emission electrolysis.
Hydro Extrusions trialed the use of green hydrogen in the production of billet at Hydro’s recycling operation in Navarra, Spain, earlier this year. The project was carried out in a collaboration between Hydro Havrand, Hydro’s green hydrogen company, and Fives, an industrial engineering group with expertise in hydrogen burner technology.
Since these initial trials, the aluminum material has undergone extensive testing to confirm it lives up to the requirements for extrusion, fabrication, and eventually use in Irizar’s electric vehicles. The tests were successful, and Irizar placed the first order for aluminum profiles made with the special material in early November. The profiles will be used in the company’s ie tram vehicle, which combines the large capacity, ease of access, and internal configuration of a tram with the flexibility of a city bus.
Irizar e-mobility is determined to promote the use of efficient, clean and accessible transport that reduces impact on the environment, improves people’s well-being and health, and that makes it possible to create better urban environments. The company’s electromobility solutions include the manufacture of 100% electric, zero-emission vehicles, as well as the manufacture and installation of the main infrastructure systems necessary for charging, traction, and energy storage.
“We are very focused on reducing the carbon footprint of our products and activities, and we need materials that support this,” said Guillermo-A. Fernández Caballero, head of environment at Irizar e-mobility. “Using recycled aluminium made with green hydrogen in our electric vehicles is a step in the right direction towards cleaner transportation.”