Rio Tinto and Hydro launch $45M partnership to develop carbon capture in aluminium smelting

Companies & MarketsNews
February 4, 2025

February 4, 2025

Hydro President and CEO Eivind Kallevik (left) and Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm (right), signing the partnership agreement (Courtesy Hydro)
Hydro President and CEO Eivind Kallevik (left) and Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm (right), signing the partnership agreement (Courtesy Hydro)

Rio Tinto, headquartered in London, UK, and Hydro, based in Oslo, Norway, are partnering to identify and evaluate available carbon capture technologies for future implementation in the aluminium electrolysis process. The companies have signed a partnership agreement that provides for the sharing of certain information, results and costs covering specific R&D activities, from lab tests with external suppliers to larger, on-site pilots. The aim is to create improved offerings of commercially viable carbon capture technologies from relevant suppliers.

Together, the partners expect to invest approximately $45 million over five years to support this initiative. Most of the work will be conducted at Rio Tinto’s facilities in Europe and Hydro’s facilities in Norway. Beyond this collaboration, both companies will continue to pursue substantial decarbonisation efforts independently.

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Anode consumption during the electrolysis process accounts for approximately three-quarters of a smelter’s direct CO2 emissions. For several years, scientists from Rio Tinto and Hydro have been exploring different carbon capture technologies as complementary solutions to help each company meet its climate targets. This work includes developing and scaling up carbon-free aluminium smelting technologies such as Hydro’s HalZero technology and Rio Tinto’s participation in the ELYSIS joint venture.

Hydro President and CEO Eivind Kallevik said, “Hydro is accelerating our ambitious roadmap to achieve net-zero aluminium production by 2050 or sooner, advancing solutions across every step of our value chain – from mine to metal. Carbon capture technologies are critical to decarbonising existing smelters, and our partnership with Rio Tinto will amplify efforts to develop fit-for-purpose solutions that can accelerate the aluminium industry’s transition towards net-zero production.”

Capturing carbon from aluminium smelter flue gas, with CO2 concentrations around 1% (vol.), requires adapting direct air capture technologies for higher concentrations or point source technologies for lower concentrations. In both cases, the current technology readiness level is low and requires significant development efforts to mature from laboratory to commercial scale. The collaboration between Rio Tinto and Hydro aims to speed up this development process to abate greenhouse gas emissions from smelters.

www.riotinto.com

www.hydro.com

Companies & MarketsNews
February 4, 2025

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