CRU: Low-Carbon Aluminum is Gaining Momentum

By Greg Wittbecker, Advisor, CRU Analysis

The primary aluminum industry has operated with the same technology since the large-scale production process was developed in 1886. It is a carbon-based electrolytic process. This process generates a lot of CO2. Global aluminum producers have been focused on reducing GHG for some time, but efforts have accelerated in the past five years. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) is no longer a nice acronym but a call to action for virtually all publicly-traded companies. Privately-held companies are also heeding the call as they realize that access to growth capital will also be driven by how well they meet investor expectations.