Total GHG emissions from Australia’s seven alumina refineries have remained relatively stable since 2007, with a 3.2 per cent increase recorded in 2010. 14.8 million tonnes of CO2-e were emitted in 2010, compared with 14.4 Mt of CO2-e in both 2008 and 2009. Absolute emissions from Australia’s alumina refineries have increased by only 38 per cent since 1990, despite an 81 per cent increase in production over this period.

Aggregated per unit emissions were 0.73 tonnes of CO2-e per tonne of alumina in 2010, 3 per cent higher than in 2009 and 23 per cent lower than the 1990 value of 0.96 tonnes of CO2-e per tonne of alumina. To put this into perspective — if the emission intensity in 2010 had remained unchanged from the emission intensity in 1990, total emissions would have been around 19.4 Mt CO2-e compared to the reported 14.8 Mt CO2-e. These gains have largely been achieved through the addition of more efficient capacity – both through brownfield (Gove, Worsley, Pinjarra expansions) and greenfield (Yarwun) developments, as well as efficiency improvements resulting in capacity gains at the remaining refineries (Kwinana, Wagerup, QAL).

Australian alumina refineries are amongst the world’s leading performers in terms of energy efficiency.