This story was originally published byGrist.
Aluminum is a crucial raw ingredient in the fight against climate change.
But to ensure the transition off fossil fuels is a clean one, theindustryneeds a serious makeover.
Photo: Luke Sharrett / The Washington Post (Getty Images)
A new federally funded green smelter could help make that happen.
Making this remarkably versatile metal requires a huge and near-constant supply of electricity.
Thatsmore than twicethe amount all of Australia spews annually.
That could boost a sectoron life support.
Thatsnearly doublethe amount of primary and recycled aluminum the country produced in 2022.
Production starts with converting bauxite, an aluminum-rich ore, into a purified powder called alumina.
That material is then smelted to produce the metal.
All that mining and processing creates ecological destruction, generates toxic waste, and releases a cocktail of pollutants.
A large operation can require enough juice topower millions of homes.
Such efforts are underway throughout the world.
(The U.S.produced750,000 tons of virgin aluminum in 2023.)
Neither Century Aluminum nor the DOE have said when the smelter might begin operations.
Sartor said Century Aluminum will need all of the money DOE is offering and much more.
In 2020, the Bluegrass State had a paltry30.1 megawatts of solar generating capacityandno wind energy productionwhatsoever.
Thats enough to serve 800,000 U.S. homes for a year.
Theres no other way around this.
The DOE wouldnt speak to the challenges that may arise procuring clean energy, citing ongoing award negotiations.
This article originally appeared inGristathttps://grist.org/solutions/the-nations-first-new-aluminum-smelter-in-45-years-could-cut-production-emissions-by-75/.
Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.
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