Apple purchases carbon-free aluminum from Quebec-based Elysis
Apple purchases their first batch of carbon-free aluminum, which could greatly lessen the environmental damage caused by manufacturing Apple products.
The metal, created by Montreal-based Elysis, is produced in such a way that it lessens the environmental impact of smelting aluminum.
Elysis is a joint venture o falcon Corp and Rio Tinto and was announced in 2018. Elysis received $144 million in funding from the two companies, Apple, and Canadian and Quebecois governments.
Traditionally, aluminum is extremely carbon intensive to produce, and involves passing an electrical current through a carbon anode. The carbon is burnt off during the process and then released into the atmosphere. The process has been linked to air pollution, climate change, and global CO2 increases.
The new process, which Elysis wants to commercialize by 2024, uses a ceramic anode. When electrified, the anode emits only oxygen as a waste product. This eliminates direct greenhouse gas emissions and carbon particulate matter from the smelting process.
If utilized, the carbon-free aluminum will help to lessen the environmental impact of producing consumer electronics and goods. For companies like Apple, roughly 70% of their carbon footprint tends to be in the supply-chain.
Lisa Jackson, Apple's Vice President of environment, policy, and social initiatives spoke positively of the process.
"For more than 130 years, aluminum - a material common to so many products consumers use daily - has been produced the same way," said Jackson. "That's about to change."
The first batch of carbon-free aluminum has been made in a facility outside of Pittsburgh. Elysis is currently planning to manufacture it at a $50 million CAD facility being built in Quebec. The facility is expected to be finished in the second half of 2020.
Apple and Elysis would not disclose the size or cost of the first purchase, according to according to Reuters. It has been described as a "commercial batch," and the process is expected to be less expensive than traditional aluminum smelting.
The metal, created by Montreal-based Elysis, is produced in such a way that it lessens the environmental impact of smelting aluminum.
Elysis is a joint venture o falcon Corp and Rio Tinto and was announced in 2018. Elysis received $144 million in funding from the two companies, Apple, and Canadian and Quebecois governments.
Traditionally, aluminum is extremely carbon intensive to produce, and involves passing an electrical current through a carbon anode. The carbon is burnt off during the process and then released into the atmosphere. The process has been linked to air pollution, climate change, and global CO2 increases.
The new process, which Elysis wants to commercialize by 2024, uses a ceramic anode. When electrified, the anode emits only oxygen as a waste product. This eliminates direct greenhouse gas emissions and carbon particulate matter from the smelting process.
If utilized, the carbon-free aluminum will help to lessen the environmental impact of producing consumer electronics and goods. For companies like Apple, roughly 70% of their carbon footprint tends to be in the supply-chain.
Lisa Jackson, Apple's Vice President of environment, policy, and social initiatives spoke positively of the process.
"For more than 130 years, aluminum - a material common to so many products consumers use daily - has been produced the same way," said Jackson. "That's about to change."
The first batch of carbon-free aluminum has been made in a facility outside of Pittsburgh. Elysis is currently planning to manufacture it at a $50 million CAD facility being built in Quebec. The facility is expected to be finished in the second half of 2020.
Apple and Elysis would not disclose the size or cost of the first purchase, according to according to Reuters. It has been described as a "commercial batch," and the process is expected to be less expensive than traditional aluminum smelting.
Comments
guessing Quebec due to the Canadian governments’ investments
https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/nrg/ntgrtd/mrkt/nrgsstmprfls/qc-eng.html
https://compareelectricity.com/energy-sources/PA
Easy question: why wasn't this done earlier, is it really such a big deal, or did no one care?
This doesn't solve the decencies on oil (please don't call it carbon, oil just isn't) by the way.
Maybe ask Musk to transport it with his Semi, or maybe cybertruck.
For a deep dive into Aluminum carbon footprint and processes:
https://blog.sintef.com/sintefenergy/energy-efficiency/aluminium-electrolysis-using-inert-anodes/
http://www.world-aluminium.org/media/filer_public/2018/11/22/carbon_footprint_technical_support_document_v1_published.pdf
Net, net is that Apple will be a key initial user for this new (and more costly technology), and as such is supporting a new innovation for Aluminum production.
https://9to5mac.com/2017/01/10/greenpeace-apple-greenest-company-in-the-world-2017/
https://www.cultofmac.com/322406/greenpeace-awards-apple-straight-as-for-energy-policy/
https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/apple-wins-epa-award-for-helping-to-lead-the-clean-energy-revolution-in-north-carolina/
That would be good since the plant in Pittsburgh gets it power from Nuclear, and that is carbon free electricity.
As I recall Australia is the worlds biggest bauxite and aluminium producer, and with its small population a key reason it is a high per capital greenhouse gas emitter. Efforts to deal with this problem are causing electricity prices to rise rapidly in Australia, as it is trying to leap from coal to solar and wind, as hydro isn’t a scalable option in the dry, flat continent, and it is skipping gas and nuclear that can produce the bulk, firming backup wind and solar just can’t do at need.
ironically this will price aluminium manufacture out of the country to its neighbours. This might help the per capita emissions figure for Australia, but no doubt the new facilities will be located in countries that get a free pass on emissions and will be less stringent. So probably result in an increase in global emissions.
Well that's a stupid comment which also has the added stupidity of having nothing to do with the discussion at hand.
How nice, after they ruined a good chunk of the northern part of the province with its James Bay project, which produces a great deal of its “clean” energy. Not to mention the sleazy treatment of a neighboring province involving Churchill Falls, another huge source of its hydro capabilities.
After wrecking a large chunk of northern geography, buying off people who could no longer live there and accepting billions of dollars in transfer payments from “dirty oil” I don’t think that place is in any position to keep bragging about its low CO2 footprint. It’s all a darned pr campaign to make money.
Well at least you can be a Penguins fan.
"Apple and Elysis would not disclose the size or cost of the first purchase, according to according to Reuters. It has been described as a "commercial batch," and the process is expected to be less expensive than traditional aluminum smelting.
As for Apple's cost for the first commercial batch it is very likely close to their earlier "investment" in the company a few months ago IMO. The money came from Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund used for pre-purchase of materials and components not yet commercially available, and was not for any equity stake in Elysis.
BTW Solar and Wind is not the answer, it can never produce enough energy run all the manufacturing. Keep in mind Manufacturing use big power high wattage, High Voltage and High Current.
So yes Apple is taking baby steps and I happy to see that, but it does not solve the problem.