Future energy applications in global processing of primary aluminum

The following study intends to assess the future primary energy consumption in the global material flow of primary aluminium. The model of global alum inium industry (GlobAl-model) is used for scenario calculations. This model simulates a market economy and enables an integrated analysis of the mater ial flow and the belonging energy consumption. 1995 is the base year wherea s 2010 is the future horizon of the scenario calculations. The critical par ameter global demand for primary aluminium" is varied. According to scenario calculations the absolute worldwide electricity consu mption int he material flow of primary energy will already increase with a growth rate of demand of 1% per year. Therefore an increase of electricity consumption for primary aluminium production is very likely. For primary en ergy consumption the situation is different. The absolute worldwide consump tion will increase when the expansion of demand for primary aluminium is hi gher than 2% per year. The reduction of the specific primary energy consump tion is much higher than the reduction of electricity consumption. The spec ific primary energy consumption of the material flow will decrease remarkab ly especially because of the reduced consumption for smelting. There are th ree reasons for this. In the first place, the higher efficiency of electric ity generated from fossil fuels leads to a reduced consumption of primary e nergy. Secondly, modern PFPB plants need less electricity than the soderber g plants they replace. And thirdly, the production of primary aluminium is being shifted to regions where the production of electricity is mainly base d on hydropower.