EGA joins Australia’s HILT CRC to advance decarbonisation goals

EGA joins Australia’s HILT CRC to advance decarbonisation goals

UAE’s Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has taken a major step towards the decarbonisation of alumina refining by joining Australia’s Heavy Industry Low-carbon Transition Cooperative Research Centre (HILT CRC). EGA, the Middle East’s biggest aluminium producer, is the first HILT CRC industry partner with operations entirely outside Australia. HILT CRC is focusing on decarbonising the production of steam for digestion and calcination in alumina refining. The two processes account for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions from alumina refineries and are the most significant decarbonisation challenges at EGA’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery. The company’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery began production in 2019 and is the only alumina refinery in the UAE. It also operates aluminium smelters in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in Guinea. Its Al Taweelah alumina refinery produced 2.43 million tonnes of alumina in 2022, up 5 per cent. “Joining HILT CRC enables EGA to participate with the Australian alumina refining industry in finding technological solutions to the toughest decarbonisation challenges in alumina refining,” said Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of EGA. EGA is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 in line with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and