Hydro is investing in new recycling units at its operations in Norway. By investing in new technology and increasing recycling, the company will be able to move closer to achieving its goal of reducing its own greenhouse gas emissions by 10% by 2025 and 30% by 2030 (compared to 2018 levels).
These investments will also help to support the company in achieving its roadmap to zero, with the aim of becoming a climate-neutral company that produces climate-neutral products by 2050. According to Hydro, full decarbonization will be achieved by recycling more post-consumer aluminum scrap in combination with the adoption of new technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, the use of hydrogen and biogas as energy sources, and a new, proprietary technology that has the potential to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from primary aluminum production.
New Unit at Årdal
Hydro opened a new recycling unit in the casthouse of its Årdal smelter, providing the ability to process 25,000 tonnes of post-consumer aluminum scrap annually. This supports the company’s efforts to meet the demand for low-carbon aluminum in European markets.
“The demand for low-carbon aluminum is increasing, particularly in the automotive industry,” said Eivind Kallevik, executive vice president of Hydro Aluminium Metal. “Thanks to the cutting edge technology and know how utilized by our team in Årdal, customers can reduce the carbon footprint in their value chain and get closer to achieving their climate targets.”
Through the company’s NOK 100 million (UA$9.4 million) investment in recycling technologies, the upgraded casting line in Årdal will mix primary aluminum made produced with renewable hydropower with up to 30% post-consumer aluminum scrap. By combining hydropower as an energy source, modern production technology, and recycling of scrap, Hydro Årdal can deliver Hydro REDUXA 3.0 with a carbon footprint of less than 3 kg CO2/kg Al. This is around 80% lower than the global average, which will help some of the most advanced customers in Europe cut the embedded greenhouse gas emissions of their products.
“Low-carbon aluminum from Årdal is already an important part of Hydro’s strategic partnership with leading customers in our joint efforts to decarbonize,” noted Kallevik. “With this upgrade and other long-term investments at the plant, Hydro Årdal is set to deliver low-carbon aluminum to the European market for decades to come.”
Høyanger Recycling
Hydro opened Høyanger Recycling, a purpose built recycling facility located near the company’s primary aluminum plant in Høyanger. The NOK 240 million (US$22.6 million) facility increases recycling capacity, enabling the company to further lower the carbon footprint of its cast products.
At the new facility, aluminum scrap originating from vehicles, building facades, furniture, packaging, and other kinds of consumer goods is decoated before being melted into ingots. The recycled aluminum is then mixed with low-carbon primary metal to make low-carbon casting products that enable customers to cut the embedded emissions in their value chain. The facility has an annual capacity to process 36,000 tonnes of post-consumer aluminum scrap.
“The outlook for the aluminum market in Europe is promising as we move towards the green transition, but in times of turmoil, customers need stable and predictable partners in their decarbonization efforts,” said Kallevik. “With this and other long-term investments at our aluminum plants, we are gearing up to change the game for aluminum production and stand ready to deliver low-carbon aluminum in the decades to come.”