Effects on primary energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and related costs from improving energy end-use efficiency in the electrolysis in primary aluminium production
Haraldsson, Joakim LU
and Johansson, Maria T.
(2020)
In Energy Efficiency
13(7).
p.1299-1314
- Abstract
Primary aluminium production is energy- and GHG-intensive in which electrolysis is by far the most energy- and GHG-intensive process. This paper’s aim is to study the effects on (1) primary energy use, (2) GHG emissions and (3) energy and CO2 costs when energy end-use efficiency measures are implemented in the electrolysis. Significant savings in final and primary energy use, GHG emissions and energy and CO2 costs can be achieved by implementing the studied measures. Vertical electrode cells and the combination of inert anodes and wettable cathodes are among the measures with the highest savings in all three areas (primary energy use, GHG emissions and energy and CO2 costs). Direct carbothermic reduction... (More)
Primary aluminium production is energy- and GHG-intensive in which electrolysis is by far the most energy- and GHG-intensive process. This paper’s aim is to study the effects on (1) primary energy use, (2) GHG emissions and (3) energy and CO2 costs when energy end-use efficiency measures are implemented in the electrolysis. Significant savings in final and primary energy use, GHG emissions and energy and CO2 costs can be achieved by implementing the studied measures. Vertical electrode cells and the combination of inert anodes and wettable cathodes are among the measures with the highest savings in all three areas (primary energy use, GHG emissions and energy and CO2 costs). Direct carbothermic reduction is one of the measures with the highest savings in primary energy use and energy and CO2 costs. For GHG emissions, direct carbothermic reduction is the more beneficial choice in regions with a high proportion of coal power, while inert anodes are the more beneficial choice in regions with a high proportion of low-carbon electricity. Although a company potentially can save more money by implementing the direct carbothermic reduction, the company should consider implementing the vertical electrode cells together with other energy-saving technologies since this would yield the largest GHG emission savings while providing similar cost savings as the direct carbothermic reduction. It may be necessary to impose a price on GHG emissions in order to make inert anodes cost-effective on their own, although further evaluations are needed in this regard. There is a potential to achieve carbon-neutrality in the reduction of aluminium oxide to pure aluminium.
(Less)
- author
- Haraldsson, Joakim
LU
and Johansson, Maria T.
- publishing date
- 2020-10-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Aluminium industry, Direct carbothermic reduction, Energy and CO cost saving, Energy saving, GHG emission saving, Primary energy consumption saving
- in
- Energy Efficiency
- volume
- 13
- issue
- 7
- pages
- 16 pages
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85089859825
- ISSN
- 1570-646X
- DOI
- 10.1007/s12053-020-09893-1
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2020, The Author(s).
- id
- 94b6d6e9-2420-4923-b97d-8d839d569373
- date added to LUP
- 2022-01-07 15:41:24
- date last changed
- 2022-04-19 19:12:34
@article{94b6d6e9-2420-4923-b97d-8d839d569373,
abstract = {{<p>Primary aluminium production is energy- and GHG-intensive in which electrolysis is by far the most energy- and GHG-intensive process. This paper’s aim is to study the effects on (1) primary energy use, (2) GHG emissions and (3) energy and CO<sub>2</sub> costs when energy end-use efficiency measures are implemented in the electrolysis. Significant savings in final and primary energy use, GHG emissions and energy and CO<sub>2</sub> costs can be achieved by implementing the studied measures. Vertical electrode cells and the combination of inert anodes and wettable cathodes are among the measures with the highest savings in all three areas (primary energy use, GHG emissions and energy and CO<sub>2</sub> costs). Direct carbothermic reduction is one of the measures with the highest savings in primary energy use and energy and CO<sub>2</sub> costs. For GHG emissions, direct carbothermic reduction is the more beneficial choice in regions with a high proportion of coal power, while inert anodes are the more beneficial choice in regions with a high proportion of low-carbon electricity. Although a company potentially can save more money by implementing the direct carbothermic reduction, the company should consider implementing the vertical electrode cells together with other energy-saving technologies since this would yield the largest GHG emission savings while providing similar cost savings as the direct carbothermic reduction. It may be necessary to impose a price on GHG emissions in order to make inert anodes cost-effective on their own, although further evaluations are needed in this regard. There is a potential to achieve carbon-neutrality in the reduction of aluminium oxide to pure aluminium.</p>}},
author = {{Haraldsson, Joakim and Johansson, Maria T.}},
issn = {{1570-646X}},
keywords = {{Aluminium industry; Direct carbothermic reduction; Energy and CO cost saving; Energy saving; GHG emission saving; Primary energy consumption saving}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{10}},
number = {{7}},
pages = {{1299--1314}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Energy Efficiency}},
title = {{Effects on primary energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and related costs from improving energy end-use efficiency in the electrolysis in primary aluminium production}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12053-020-09893-1}},
doi = {{10.1007/s12053-020-09893-1}},
volume = {{13}},
year = {{2020}},
}