Alcoa to supply Nexans with low-carbon aluminum, including metal from ELYSIS™ technology
02 February 2024 - 12:30AM
Business Wire
- Alcoa will supply Nexans with low-carbon aluminum rod that will
contain metal from the breakthrough ELYSIS™ technology
- ELYSIS™ is a technology partnership that is ramping up a
process that eliminates all direct greenhouse gas emissions from
the traditional smelting process, emitting oxygen as a
byproduct
- Aluminum rod produced from ELYSIS™ technology will have lower
CO2 emissions
Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that it will supply global cable
producer Nexans with aluminum produced from a revolutionary process
that eliminates all direct greenhouse gas emissions from the
traditional smelting process.
Nexans will be the world’s first cable manufacturer to use metal
from the breakthrough ELYSIS™ process, which replaces all
greenhouse gas emissions with oxygen. The technology uses
proprietary materials, including inert anodes, first developed at
the Alcoa Technical Center near Pittsburgh. That research and
development work became the technological basis for ELYSIS™, a
technology partnership that is working to ramp up the process to
commercial scale.
Several Nexans facilities in Western Europe and Scandinavia will
use aluminum produced from the ELYSIS™ process to start
qualifications for the metal’s use in various types of cables, from
low, medium to high voltage. Aluminum rod produced with this
breakthrough ELYSIS™ technology could eliminate a significant
portion of carbon dioxide emissions in the future.
This latest announcement further builds on the two companies’
historic long-term relationship. Alcoa already supplies Nexans with
EcoLum™, a primary aluminum with a carbon footprint that is nearly
three times lower than the industry average.1
Since the launch of ELYSIS™ in 2018, the technology company has
produced R&D quantities of the metal. Alcoa is marketing and
selling its share of the ELYSIS metal, which has also been used for
the wheels on the Audi eTron GT, the automaker’s first electric
sports car. Apple is also an investor in the technology and has
used ELYSIS metal for some of its products.
ELYSIS is a key component in Alcoa’s technology roadmap of
research and development projects that also includes projects such
as the ASTRAEA™ metal purification process and the Refinery of the
Future.
This agreement fully highlights Nexans’ position at the
forefront of the sustainable electrification of the world and
regarding crucial issues such as low-carbon emissions.
Renato Bacchi – Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial
Officer at Alcoa:
“Alcoa is well positioned to supply low carbon aluminum for the
world’s transition to renewable energy, as we know that the true
impact of decarbonization will also include the choice of materials
used to build the infrastructure for generation, transmission and
distribution networks. While we are developing ELYSIS™ for the
future, we are also supplying low-carbon aluminum today with our
EcoLum™ metal, which can help customers meet their own
sustainability goals and lower their carbon footprints.”
Vincent Dessale – Nexans Chief Operating Officer Senior
Executive VP:
“In the fight against climate change, solutions that support the
world’s energy transition make a real difference. By increasing our
use of low-carbon aluminum, we want to lead the way toward a
sustainable electrification of the world: the rod produced with
this breakthrough technology could eliminate a significant portion
of carbon dioxide emissions in the future. We are proud to be the
world’s first cable manufacturer to use metal from the breakthrough
technology ELYSIS™.”
1: Alcoa’s EcoLum™ primary aluminum is produced with less than
4.0 metric tons of CO2e for every ton of metal, including both
direct and indirect (Scope 1 and Scope 2) emissions from mining,
refining, smelting and casting. EcoLum's emissions intensity vs.
the global average per ton of per ton of CO2e/ton of aluminum is
approximately three times better than the global average of 13.3,
based on CRU emissions intensity data, 2022
About Alcoa Corporation
Alcoa (NYSE: AA) is a global industry leader in bauxite, alumina
and aluminum products with a vision to reinvent the aluminum
industry for a sustainable future. With a values-based approach
that encompasses integrity, operating excellence, care for people
and courageous leadership, our purpose is to Turn Raw Potential
into Real Progress. Since developing the process that made aluminum
an affordable and vital part of modern life, our talented Alcoans
have developed breakthrough innovations and best practices that
have led to greater efficiency, safety, sustainability and stronger
communities wherever we operate. For more information, visit
www.alcoa.com
About Nexans
For over a century, Nexans has played a crucial role in the
electrification of the planet and is committed to electrifying the
future. With approximately 28,000 people in 42 countries, the Group
is paving the way to a new world of safe, sustainable and
decarbonized electricity that is accessible to everyone. In 2022,
Nexans generated 6.7 billion euros in standard sales. The Group is
a leader in the design and manufacturing of cable systems and
services across four main business areas: Power Generation &
Transmission, Distribution, Usage and Industry & Solutions.
Nexans was the first company in its industry to create a Foundation
supporting sustainable initiatives, bringing access to energy to
disadvantaged communities worldwide. The Group is recognized on the
CDP Climate Change A List as a global leader on climate action and
has committed to Net-Zero emissions by 2050 aligned with the
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Nexans. Electrify the
future. Nexans is listed on Euronext Paris, compartment A. For more
information, please visit www.nexans.com
About ELYSIS™
ELYSIS is a technology partnership created thanks to a
ground-breaking partnership between two global industry leaders –
Alcoa and Rio Tinto. ELYSIS’ goal is to revolutionize the way
aluminum is produced across the globe, with technology that enables
the production of metal without direct carbon dioxide emissions
during the aluminum smelting process, instead emitting oxygen. The
company uses inert anodes that replace the carbon anodes
traditionally used during electrolysis, which is the process used
to make primary aluminum. ELYSIS is currently working to scale up
its zero-carbon smelting process so it can be licensed for either
retrofits of existing smelters or the construction of new ones. It
operates an Industrial Research & Development Center in Québec,
Canada with support from Alcoa’s Technical Center outside
Pittsburgh.
Learn more at www.elysis.com
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Alcoa Investor Contact: James Dwyer 412-992-5450
James.Dwyer@alcoa.com
Alcoa Media Contact: Jim Beck 412-315-2909
James.Beck@alcoa.com
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