Europe could cut climate pollution equal to taking 900,000 petrol cars off the road in 2040 if automakers shift to green aluminum, according to Transport & Environment, a prominent Brussels-based nongovernmental organization focused on green mobility.
The group says the cleaner metal can be produced with existing technology and would add only a small cost to new vehicles before eventually saving money.
Aluminum Becomes a Bigger Climate Issue
Electric vehicles produce almost no emissions while driving because they have no tailpipe and do not burn fuel. As a result, most of their climate impact now comes from the materials used to build them rather than from their use. Aluminum is one of the biggest contributors to that impact.
T&E says aluminum now accounts for about 20 percent of the climate pollution created before an electric car reaches the road. The figure is rising as carmakers use more aluminum to reduce weight and increase battery range.
“The technology to clean up aluminum exists today, and now is the time to scale it,” said Michael Carron, the study’s lead author and battery & materials researcher at T&E. “This is a major opportunity for Europe to cut emissions while rebuilding its industrial strength.”
Europe’s Import Dependence Raises Emissions
Europe imports 53 percent of its primary aluminum. Much of it comes from countries where the electricity grid depends on fossil fuels. Producing a tonne of aluminum in those regions can emit up to 20 tonnes of CO2, compared with 6.3 tonnes for aluminum made in Europe.
Because aluminum production uses large amounts of electricity — over 15 megawatt-hours per tonne — the climate impact depends heavily on the source of power. Europe’s electricity mix is significantly cleaner than that of regions such as Central Asia or the Middle East.
“Europe has a natural advantage because it already produces cleaner aluminum,” Carron said. “The problem is that we are not using that advantage because domestic smelters have closed.”
Over the past decade, high energy prices and global competition forced several European smelters to shut down, eliminating about 2,000 direct jobs and increasing reliance on high-carbon imports.
Demand for Aluminum in Cars is Set to Grow
Automakers are expected to use more aluminum in the coming years. An average battery-electric car is forecast to contain 275 kilograms of aluminum by 2035, up from 229 kilograms today. Large electric SUVs already use as much as 700 kilograms.
This shift deepens the climate impact unless production becomes cleaner. T&E says the expected rise in aluminum use is one reason emissions from the material must fall sharply.
Recycling Offers Deep and Fast Emission Cuts
Recycling aluminum uses up to 95 percent less energy than producing it from raw materials. Yet Europe exports most of its aluminum scrap. About 84 percent of exported European scrap currently goes to Asia, where it is recycled for lower-cost markets.
If Europe increases recycling and prevents scrap from leaving the region, emissions savings could equal 2 million petrol cars by 2040, rising to 3.5 million by 2050, the report says. Those gains come on top of the 900,000-car impact from clean primary production.
However, the report warns about the “cast cascade,” a recycling problem in which mixed aluminum scrap is downcycled into lower-value cast parts. These cast alloys cannot be efficiently turned back into higher-quality aluminum used in car bodies. As a result, carmakers still rely on large volumes of newly mined metal.
Improved sorting technologies and new dismantling rules under the EU’s End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation could help reduce contamination and increase the availability of high-quality scrap.
New Technologies Could Clean up Smelting
Beyond recycling, T&E models large savings from switching fossil-fuel furnaces and boilers to electric equipment powered by renewables. Technologies such as electric calciners and electric furnaces are already used in some plants in Brazil and Germany.
The report also highlights emerging smelting technologies. Inert anodes, for example, replace today’s carbon anodes and eliminate direct CO2 emissions. Another process, carbochlorination, can further reduce emissions.
Under a scenario that includes these technologies, emissions from primary aluminum could fall by 68 percent by 2050 compared with business as usual. A mid-range scenario without those technologies would still cut emissions by 30 percent.
“Decarbonizing aluminum is essential if we want a true zero-emission car,” Carron said. “Otherwise, the pollution from materials will overshadow the gains from moving away from fossil fuels.”
Green Aluminum Could Become Cheaper by 2045
Despite higher upfront costs, green aluminum is expected to become cost-competitive by 2040. By 2045, it could become cheaper than conventional aluminum. By 2050, green aluminum could save carmakers €30 ($34.77) per vehicle, driven by falling renewable-energy costs and rising carbon prices.
Early adoption in 2035 would add about €25-€60 per car, an amount T&E describes as modest given its emissions impact.
Policy Push Needed to Unlock Europe’s Advantage
T&E urges the EU to set minimum requirements for carmakers to use green aluminum. It recommends a 60 percent target in 2035, rising to 95 percent in 2045.
It also calls for limits on scrap shipments, mandatory carbon-intensity labels for aluminum, and investment support through the Industrial Accelerator Act and the Industrial Decarbonisation Bank.
“Green aluminum is a win for climate, industry and competitiveness,” Carron said. “Europe can lead this transition if it acts decisively.”
Also Read:
Global Aluminum Shortage Looms as EV, Renewable Demand Rises: McKinsey
