| Abstract Scope |
This paper reviews the scale and nature of the decarbonisation challenge faced by the alumina refining industry and provides a technical assessment of electrification pathways to reduce carbon emissions associated with the Bayer process.
Energy source and demand are explored at both an industry-wide level, along with detailed energy mapping within the Bayer process. The three pillars of decarbonization are then applied to a representative alumina refinery: thermal optimisation, low-grade energy recovery, and process electrification.
Several aspects of process electrification are explored in detail including the technical and practical implications of large-scale electrification, along with the likely constraints imposed by the electrical grid operator. A case study is examined, with focus on the various interface challenges between the refinery and the grid.
Finally, through exploration of this case study, the justification for on-site energy firming (storage) is defined, and the business case for Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technology is considered. |