EnPot Ltd. and Siemens Energy signed an agreement to cooperate on accelerating the decarbonization of the energy-intensive primary aluminum industry in China. Together, the two companies will offer solutions to enable intelligent energy management and power modulation for aluminum smelters.
“We’re proud to collaborate with Siemens Energy in a joint effort to decarbonize the Chinese aluminum industry,” said Karyna Young, CEO of EnPot. “Siemens Energy are one of the world’s leading energy innovators, making them an excellent fit for EnPot’s deep modulation technology.”
As the world’s top aluminum producer, accounting for more than 55% of global output, China has a need to address emissions from the primary aluminum process. As a result, the country is enacting a new policy, including a target to increase renewable energy to power 30% of its aluminum industry by 2027, along with increasingly strict emissions standards and capacity caps.
In order to address energy flexibility in smelters, the EnPot technology was invented at the pre-eminent Light Metals Research Center (LMRC) at Auckland University, New Zealand, between 2003 and 2007. With EnPot, smelters can flexibly change energy use by up to 30% more or less than their normal production usage without disturbing the delicate heat balance required to make aluminum. This new-found flexibility makes smelters more compatible with the variable electricity supply provided by renewable generation. EnPot is now a New Zealand based technology company in commercial operation at the TRIMET Aluminium Smelter in Essen, Germany, and installed on a smelter in China.
Under the new agreement EnPot and Siemens will ensure that their complementary technologies will provide a path for China’s aluminum producers to integrate more renewable energy, improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs.
“Siemens Energy drives the energy transition, advancing green energy adoption across industries,” noted Qin Zheng, GM, Transformation of Industry at Siemens Energy China. “EnPot brings core technologies in commercial operation and expertise in aluminum electrolysis. Our deep collaboration in smart energy management for aluminum electrolysis combines complementary strengths to accelerate energy efficiency upgrades and low-carbon transformation. Together, we will power sustainable development for China’s aluminum industry and beyond.”