Energy

Increasing energy efficiency

Gränges works actively to reduce the energy consumption in its melting and casting processes to reduce both environmental impacts and costs. Energy costs are the most significant expense after metal and personnel costs. Gränges primarily consumes energy in its furnaces, where aluminium is re-melted either via direct combustion or via induction. Important energy sources are natural gas, electricity, and liquefied petroleum gas.

To improve energy efficiency, Gränges continually carries out energy audits, implements related improvement actions, and considers the best available technology for new investments. Energy efficiency measures are primarily linked to increased metal yield, improved thermal processes and recovery of waste heat. Gränges also re-melts recycled aluminium from its own production to avoid quality degradation and energy losses involved in transporting recycled aluminium to third parties.

Promoting renewable energy

Gränges’ operations in Europe primarily uses induction melters and sources electricity from low carbon sources (hydro and nuclear) through the deregulated energy market in Sweden. The operations in Americas and Asia use natural gas in their production, and in these regions electricity is sourced from regulated energy markets which currently are primarily based on nuclear and non-renewable energy.

Gränges works to evaluate alternative energy sources and to increase the sourcing and usage of renewable energy, in line with the company’s long-term target.