ELYSIS starts up of the commercial-size cell
Elysis said the start-up of the commercial-size cell was a breakthrough for the aluminium industry in its low-carbon goals.
Elysis has started its 450 kiloampere (kA)-designed inert anode cell at the end of an existing potline at the Rio Tinto smelter in Alma, Québec.
The company said it was a defining moment in the transition toward large-scale, low-carbon aluminium production.
This achievement marks the first implementation of inert anode technology at a commercial-size scale.
The breakthrough comes after years of research, development, and testing, and means high-amperage aluminium production with no direct carbon emissions from the smelting process.
The technology also has the potential to improve worker safety, reduce costs, and enhance productivity.
ELYSIS is a Canadian technology company and joint venture between Alcoa and Rio Tinto, and supported by the governments of Canada and Québec.
Testing will continue on the large-scale cell, which was designed for industrial demonstration purposes, to gather data to support future commercial deployment.
ELYSIS President and Chief Executive Officer François Perras said: “While R&D is rarely linear, our combined efforts have turned vision into reality. Today, we’re not just powering a new cell, we’re powering the future of aluminium.”
Rio Tinto Aluminium & Lithium Chief Executive Jérôme Pécresse said: “The construction of the first demonstration plant using this new technology at our Arvida smelter in Canada underscores its importance as a core pillar of our long-term decarbonisation strategy.”
Alcoa Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer William F. (Bill) Oplinger said: “Alcoa founded the aluminium industry and is proud to be part of the development of the next phase of technological advancement.
“ELYSIS technology has the potential to fundamentally change the future of our industry, and with the successful implementation at a commercial-size scale, we are one step closer to bringing the technology to market.
