Novelis and Southern Company have announced a partnership aimed at reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions from Novelis' aluminum production operations by using renewable energy and emissions-reducing technologies.
The partnership will initially focus on making Novelis’ new aluminum rolling and recycling plant in Bay Minette, Alabama carbon neutral for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, or those caused directly by company operations. The new facility, which will produce sustainable packaging and support the automotive industry in the United States, will be powered partially by solar energy.
By working with Southern Power’s subsidiary, Alabama Power, Novelis will support the creation of two new 80-megawatt solar power generation plants that will help avoid 192,000 tons of emissions each year.
"The future of clean energy depends on unlocking these types of partnerships," said Chris Cummiskey, executive vice president and chief commercial and customer solutions officer for Southern Company Services. "Whether it's with new or existing companies, finding ways for Novelis and Southern Company to mutually identify and test innovative technologies will be key to advancing the availability of renewable power and reaching our respective decarbonization goals."
The two companies plan to explore new decarbonization technologies, such as hydrogen fuels, carbon capture, energy storage, and electrification of thermal processes, to power the Alabama facility and other Novelis sites across North America.
Novelis, the world’s largest recycler of aluminum according to the company, aims to achieve a fully circular economy through supplier partnerships and customer engagement.
Last year, the company partnered with Sortera Alloys in establishing plans for the new Bay Minette facility. Novelis will use Sortera’s sorting technologies and data analytics tools to recycle and reuse higher quantities of automotive post-consumer and post-production scrap.
The company is also a part of the aluminum branch of the First Movers Coalition, a group of aluminum companies committed to advancing low-carbon aluminum and working to deliver a net-zero aluminum sector by 2050.
"At Novelis, we believe that strong partnerships like this are critical to advancing our commitment to the environment, the economy, and the communities in which we operate," said Suzanne Lindsay-Walker, vice president of sustainability at Novelis. "Partnering with Southern Company and Alabama Power on renewable energy solutions, such as solar power, and exploring new technologies for carbon reduction will help us as we seek to meet our goals to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2026 and be carbon neutral by 2050 or sooner."
