Amazon Tests Lower-Carbon Aluminum in Ohio Data Center Cables: Scope 3 Procurement Gets a Real Test

Amazon is testing lower-carbon aluminum in electrical cables at a data center near Columbus, Ohio. The aluminum uses ELYSIS inert-anode smelting technology, which eliminates direct greenhouse gas emissions from the smelting process and produces oxygen instead of CO2. Rio Tinto supplies the metal, Prysmian makes the cable in Sedalia, Missouri, and Wesco handles distribution. The project is small in scope, but it points to a bigger shift. Data center operators face growing pressure to cut Scope 3 emissions from construction materials and equipment. Aluminum, steel, concrete, and cable are all part of that equation. The challenge is proving lower-carbon materials can meet specs, arrive on time, and compete on cost. The companies have not disclosed volume, pricing, or full lifecycle emissions for the cable. Those details will determine whether inert-anode aluminum moves from a pilot to a standard procurement option for data centers.