Hydro and Rio Tinto signed a partnership agreement to identify and evaluate available carbon capture technologies for implementation in aluminum smelting. Under the agreement, the two companies will share certain information, results, and costs covering specific research and development activities, from lab tests with external suppliers to on-site pilots. The aim is to create improved and commercially viable carbon capture technologies from relevant suppliers.
“Hydro is accelerating our ambitious roadmap to achieve net-zero aluminium production by 2050 or sooner, advancing solutions across every step of our value chain, from mine to metal,” said Eivind Kallevik, president and CEO of Hydro. “Carbon capture technologies are critical to decarbonizing existing smelters. Our partnership with Rio Tinto will amplify efforts to develop fit for purpose solutions that can accelerate the aluminium industry’s transition towards net-zero production.”
Jakob Stausholm, chief executive of Rio Tinto, added, “Rio Tinto’s is committed to reaching net-zero emissions from our operations by 2050, and we know that achieving our climate objectives will require a portfolio of solutions. By working in partnership with Hydro to assess certain carbon capture technologies for aluminium smelters, we are finding better ways to leverage our complementary networks and R&D capabilities to address the climate change challenge.”
Anode consumption during the electrolysis process accounts for approximately three quarters of a smelter’s direct CO2 emissions. For several years, scientists from Hydro and Rio Tinto have been exploring different carbon capture technologies as complementary solutions to help each company meet their climate targets — in addition to the development and scaling up of carbon free aluminum smelting technologies, such as Hydro’s HalZero technology and Rio Tinto’s participation in the ELYSIS joint venture.
Capturing carbon from aluminum smelter flue gas, with CO2 concentrations around 1% (by volume), requires adapting direct air capture technologies for higher concentrations or point source technologies for lower concentrations. In both cases, the current technology readiness level is low and requires significant development efforts to mature from laboratory to commercial scale.
Together, Hydro and Rio Tinto aim to speed up this development process to abate greenhouse gas emissions from smelters. The companies plan to invest US$45 million over five years to support this initiative. Most of the work will be conducted at Hydro’s facilities in Norway and Rio Tinto’s facilities in Europe. Beyond this collaboration, both companies will continue to pursue substantial decarbonization efforts independently.