Electricity in the Bayer process
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Technology Description
The Bayer process - the main method to refine bauxite into alumina (the input to aluminium smelting) - requires 100 to 250 °C heat and steam for digestion and 1000 °C heat for calcination, which are currently delivered using fossil fuels. Testing is underway to use electricity for both digestion heat (e.g. boilers/co-generation) and for calcination.
Relevance for Net Zero
Alternative fuels provide a good prospect for reducing alumina refining emissions. Alumina refining is a key source of the sector's emissions, so it will be important to develop technologies to reduce them in moving towards net zero emissions. Electrification is the most developed technology being deployed at the moment, so likely has the largest relevance for net zero.
Key Countries
Australia, Brazil, Republic of Ireland
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