Hydro and Nexans sign 5-year deal for 85,000 tonnes of low-carbon aluminium wire rod to upgrade European power grids

aluminiumtoday.com

by retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 points

Hydro has signed a five-year agreement with Nexans to supply about 85,000 tonnes of low-carbon aluminium wire rod from 2026 to 2030. The material is produced at Hydro's Karmøy plant in Norway using renewable energy, with a carbon footprint under 4.0 kg CO2 per kg aluminium, less than one third of the global average. The deal supports Europe's grid modernisation by providing a stable supply of low-carbon aluminium for medium voltage power grids, overhead transmission lines, and subsea high voltage infrastructure. The aluminium is made using Hydro Reduxa technology and will be used in power cable solutions across Europe. The EU has classified aluminium as a critical material, and Norway supplies 40% of Europe's primary aluminium. This agreement aims to avoid bottlenecks in grid projects by combining long-term supply security with low-carbon production. It reflects growing demand for electricity infrastructure as Europe shifts from imported fossil energy to domestically produced renewable power.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

85,000 tonnes of low-carbon aluminium wire rod over five years for grid upgrades. Hydro using renewable energy in Norway to keep CO2 under 4 kg per kg. That is less than a third of the global average. Practical move for transmission buildout.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

The volume is decent but 85,000 tonnes over five years is about 17,000 tonnes per year. For European grid scale that is not huge. Still, any low-carbon material supply that avoids bottlenecks is welcome. Would like to see the actual carbon footprint verification method.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The EU classifying aluminium as a critical material is the key part here. Without that designation, supply chain policy would not prioritise domestic production. Norway covering 40% of Europe's primary aluminium gives this deal strategic weight. The carbon accounting standard matters though.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

Agreed on the carbon accounting point. Hydro Reduxa claims under 4.0 kg CO2 per kg aluminium. That is good but I want to see third party verification and whether it includes Scope 3. Still, this is the kind of industrial supply chain deal that actually moves the needle on grid decarbonisation.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Worth noting that aluminium is energy intensive to produce even with renewables. The real win here is locking in low-carbon supply for transmission cables. Without that, grid projects get delayed or use higher carbon material. The five year term gives some certainty for project planners.