Aluminum Industry Opportunity

1. GHG  targeted : Carbon Di Oxide, PFCs- Carbon Tetra Flouride, Carbon Hexa Flouride.
2. Base  level  of  emissions  of  that  particular  GHG: India  has  about  700,000 tonnes  of Aluminum  being produced  per  year. The  CO2  is  emitted  from smelting  process  and PFCs  are  emitted  from  Anode Effects  an  operational  problems. Most Indian  plants  in  Private  or Public Sector  have  been  established in 1940s  and  have  old process  of  Hall-Heroult. This  can be  safely assumed  to  have  1.5  tonne  of CO2/ tonne  of  Aluminum  &  about 1 kg of C2H4/ tonne  of Aluminum,  & 0.1Kg/tonne  of  Aluminum. Due  to  6000-9000GWP  of PFCs,  this  would  amount  to 7.5 tonne of CO2e/Tonnes  of  Aluminum. A  total  of  about  5 million  tonnes of  CO2e  is GHG  emissions  from Aluminum Sector in India alone.
3. Profile  of  the  emitter:  There  are  four companies  Nalco, Indal, Hindalco, Balco  first two  being in  government  sector  with  limited  access  to  Technology, Cash  &  high  access  to  government policy interventions. Hindalco & Balco  are  in the  private  Sector. Most  of  them  have their  own  captive  Coal  based  power plants.
4. Quantum  of  Emission  per  year: A  total of  ~5  million  tonnes  of  CO2e  is  emitted per  year.
5. Technology  to Reduce  PFC/GHG  emissions: Various  Cell  Technologies  can be  retro fitted  on  these existing plants.  Retro fittable  Technology  for PFC  reduction  is  not  yet  ready  as  per  one  US EPA  web  site.
6. Level of  Mitigation  achievable  by  that  Technology: 40%  reduction  has  been  achieved in US  voluntarily  by  its  aluminum Industry  &  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  atleast 40%  reduction  i.e.  2 million  Tonnes of CO2e  can  be  reduced in Indian Aluminum Industry  per  year.
7. Barriers  to Project Development: Technology Providers &  costs  for  the  technology  seem  to  be  the  key  barriers.

Opportunity Outlines

Environmental Innovations Benefit  Local Project Participants &  also  Local Populations  besides  providing essential  Green House Gas -GHG  Emission  reductions  as  per CDM  Guidelines. These  opportunities  can  be  outlined  by  briefly  describing

 

1. GHG  targetted
2. Base  level  of  emissions  of  that  particular  GHG
3. Profile  of  the  emitter,
4. Quantum  of  Emission  per  year,
5. Technology  to Reduce  GHG  emissions
6. Level of  Mitigation  achievable  by  that  Technology
7. Barriers  to Project Development

 

More &  More  such  outlines  are   being  developed  &  hosted  on  this  Blog.

Aluminum Industry Opportunity

Five Indian Aluminum Companies  namely (Indal, Hindalco, Balco, NALCO)  have  a  combined  capacity  to  produce  700,000Tonnes  of Aluminum per  year  and  a  likely   annual  emission equivalent  of  4.9  to 7  million  tonnes  of  CO2  equivalent. Emissions  are mainly  of  PFCs Carbon Tetra Flouride, Carbon Hexa Flouride & Carbon Di Oxide.

 

Having  a  comparison  of  various  Energy Efficiency & PFC  mitigation  Technology, Having  the  right  Technology Partner  & Getting  the Cost  economics  right  may  be  the  crucial  step  in  realising  this  sectors, potential.