Norsk Hydro: Carbon neutral by 2020? Done

2020-03-24

Mar. 24, 2020 - In 2013, we decided Hydro would be carbon neutral in a life-cycle perspective by the end of 2020. We made it – ahead of schedule.

Hydro has worked long and hard to reduce our own carbon footprint, through extensive use of renewable energy sources for aluminium production to ever-advancing technology to reduce electricity consumption and emissions from our operations. We have also increased our recycling capacities, ensuring that post-consumer scrap is brought back to valuable products.

In addition, aluminium plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the use of products – what is called “use-phase benefits.” Aluminium in cars, buildings, packaging and a multitude of other products contribute to lower greenhouse gas  emissions in the use phase.

“We work hard to position our metal, our products and solutions for the future by minimizing the footprint of producing it, while maximizing the benefits of using it and bringing post-consumer scrap back into the loop,” says President & CEO Hilde Merete Aasheim.

The calculations show that in 2019, Hydro was 219,000 tonnes below the defined carbon neutrality level. Here’s how it worked out:

We defined carbon neutrality in a life-cycle perspective as a balance between emissions from production on one side, and the savings of using aluminium in the use phase of on the other side.

For our carbon-neutral goal, we relied on third-party verification throughout our value chain – from bauxite mining and alumina refining to primary metal production and aluminium solutions, and not least, recycling.

We were careful to only include benefits that could be documented by independent life-cycle analyses.