Aughinish Alumina Refinery

Aughinish Alumina Refinery is an aluminium smelter in Ireland with a reported capacity of 2,000,000 t of alumina/aluminum. It smelts alumina into primary aluminium by high-current electrolysis. It is operated by United Company RUSAL PJSC. By capacity it ranks #1 of 2 aluminium smelters tracked in Ireland. It emits about 2,325,266 tonnes of CO₂e per year (Climate TRACE) — roughly the tailpipe emissions of 542,020 cars. Its CO₂ per unit of capacity is about 44% below the median aluminium smelter.

Facility data: Climate TRACE v6 (asset-level capacity & CO₂e, CC BY 4.0), id ct-43764957.

En contexto: cómo se compara esta instalación

Con 2,000,000 t of alumina/aluminum, Aughinish Alumina Refinery está alrededor de la mediana de aluminium smelter en Ireland (2,000,000 t of alumina/aluminum). Su CO₂ por unidad de capacidad es aproximadamente 18% por debajo de la mediana de aluminium smelter. Subsector: aluminum. Como aluminium smelter, requiere calor de proceso intenso (típicamente 600–900°C) para sus operaciones industriales centrales — calor que debe ser suministrado por calderas, hornos o combustión directa, y las pérdidas a través de recipientes y tuberías sin aislar representan combustible desperdiciado. El aislamiento modular desmontable puede reducir esas pérdidas en un 80–96%, enfriando superficies a ≤45°C, con amortización a menudo inferior a 2 años. Las fundiciones de aluminio utilizan grandes corrientes eléctricas para refinar alúmina en aluminio fundido por encima de 900°C, y el metal caliente debe fluir a través de crisoles y equipos de colada.

Comparación de capacidad e intensidad de CO₂ calculada a partir de datos de instalaciones industriales de Climate TRACE; papel del sector basado en referencia de ingeniería.

What 2,325,266 t CO₂e a year looks like

This facility's reported annual CO₂e in the everyday equivalents from the US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies calculator:

Equivalencies: US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies. Emissions: Climate TRACE.

Capacity vs largest aluminium smelters in Ireland

Reported capacity (t of alumina/aluminum), Climate TRACE v6 (asset-level capacity & CO₂e, CC BY 4.0).

Operator

Operated by United Company RUSAL PJSC. All facilities by this operator →

Local climate

Aughinish Alumina Refinery sits in a temperate oceanic climate zone (Köppen Cfb), at 52.6°N in the northern hemisphere.

Köppen zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid).

How it compares & nearby sites

The #1 largest of 2 aluminium smelters in Ireland by reported capacity.

Nearby industrial sites

• Wyeth Nutritionals Ireland Limited · Food & Beverage · 64,192 t CO₂
• Adare-Rathkeale Municipal District · Aluminium Smelter · 138,729 t CO₂
• Limerick Cement Plant · Cement Plant · 237,549 t CO₂
• Kerry Ingredients (Ireland) Limited (Listowel) · Food & Beverage · 64,192 t CO₂
• Kerry Ingredients (Ireland) Limited (Charleville) · Food & Beverage · 64,192 t CO₂
• Tipperary Co-Operative Creamery Limited · Food & Beverage · 64,192 t CO₂

Location

Coordinates 52.61855, -9.07764. View on OpenStreetMap.

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Frequently asked questions