Energy

Reducing energy consumption

The melting and casting of aluminium are energy intensive processes and Gränges strives to reduce the company’s energy consumption for both sustainability and profitability reasons.

Energy costs are the most significant expense after metal and personnel costs. Gränges primarily uses energy in the form of natural gas, electricity, and liquefied petroleum gas. The energy is mainly used in furnaces where aluminium is re-melted either via direct combustion or induction.

Improving energy and material efficiency

To improve energy efficiency, Gränges carries out energy audits, implements related improvements, and selects 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 from various processes. Furthermore, by re-melting unavoidable production scrap in-house rather than selling it to third parties, Gränges can avoid quality degradation and energy losses involved in transporting and handling recycled aluminium.

Promoting renewable energy

Gränges has articulated a long-term target to increase its share of renewable energy as a means to reduce carbon emissions.

Gränges Europe uses mainly induction melters combined with electricity from low carbon sources (hydro and nuclear), reducing carbon emissions.

The production facilities of Gränges Asia and Gränges Americas are located in areas where the energy markets are regulated. This means that Gränges is bound to the utility in that area and that Gränges cannot affect the share of renewable energy in the energy mix unless developing its own renewable energy solutions. Gränges Europe sources electricity from the deregulated energy market in Sweden.