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Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) is Aiming for a Low-Carbon Strategy

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) is aiming to secure over 50% of its operational power from low-carbon sources

Jun 02, 2023 / 3 Min
Emirati engineer at EGAE wharf in Al Taweelah, UAE. Photo: EGA. Courtesy.

EGA produces 4% of the world's aluminum, and it is the third largest power producer in the UAE, after EWEC and DEWA. In March 2022, TAQA (Abu Dhabi National Energy Company) joined forces with Dubal Holding to acquire EGA’s electricity generation assets in the UAE with both companies having an equal ownership stake. These assets has a total of 6,474 megawatts of power generation capacity and utilises combined cycle gas turbines (CCGT) technology.

 

The sale of the CCGT assets, which contribute more than 60% of EGA’s carbon emissions, will pave the way for EGA to inject more clean energy into its smelting operations, and produce more low-carbon aluminium products. After the sale the company is planning to source power from the grid, which will include an increasing proportion of clean energy procured by the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC). Moreover, EGA's 24/7 base load demand throughout the year also opens the door for EWEC to set up more renewable power projects.

 

“We are the best customers for solar power at the moment,” told EGA's CEO, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, to Zawya. Kalban said EGA is also seeking carbon capture solutions for CO2 emissions from the smelting process, noting that solutions currently available in the market are not efficient for low-concentration CO2 emitted during the smelting process.

 

Source: Zawya.