En+ commits to become carbon neutral by 2050

London — Russian energy and aluminum company En+ Group said Jan. 18 that it aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 35% by 2030 and achieve carbon net-zero by 2050.

They are the most ambitious carbon reduction targets yet seen in the global aluminum industry, setting a new standard in one of the most energy intensive industries, said En+, adding that the targets are in line with the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, and are promotive of the global transition to a low-carbon economy.

The plan covers Scope 1 and 2 emissions across the group's entire operations, including aluminum production, heat and electricity generation, and are benchmarked against En+'s 2018 emissions.

"Our metals business has already overachieved in meeting existing carbon reduction targets," said En+ executive chairman Greg Barker. "The target of emitting less than 2.7 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per tonne of aluminium (scope 1 and scope 2 from electrolysis) by 2025, was met in 2017. That is why, although I don't underestimate the huge challenges ahead in meeting these targets, we face them with growing confidence."

Achieving the new milestones will require yet more transformations, such as inert anode technology. To plan and implement the necessary changes, the company will set up an En+ Climate Change Taskforce, led by chief operating officer Vyacheslav Solomin.

Before publishing its final net-zero strategy in September 2021 ahead of the UN COP26 in Glasgow, En+ said it will engage in consultations with relevant external stakeholders, including suppliers, customers, investors, local communities and international experts.

With an annual production capacity of 3.9 million mt, En+ is the largest aluminum producer in the ex-China world. Its 15.1 GW of installed hydropower capacity also makes it the largest independent hydropower company globally.

In 2019, the group's metals business in aluminum company Rusal, produced 6% of the world's aluminum and its power unit, EuroSibEnergo, generated more than 64 TWh of carbon-free hydropower, according to En+.

Rusal produces aluminum with the bulk of the power supplied by EuroSibEnergo. En+ says more than 98% of Rusal's aluminum production is powered by renewable hydropower, and through that it boasts one of the lowest carbon footprint among aluminum companies worldwide.