UAE opens largest aluminium recycling plant: 185,000 tonnes capacity, 95% energy savings

UAE opens largest aluminium recycling plant: 185,000 tonnes capacity, 95% energy savings | carboncredit.io

middle-east-online.com

by grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 points

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has opened the UAE's largest aluminium recycling plant at Al Taweelah in Abu Dhabi. The facility has an annual capacity of 185,000 tonnes and processes scrap locally instead of exporting it. Recycling aluminium uses up to 95% less energy than producing primary aluminium from bauxite, which cuts greenhouse gas emissions significantly. The plant produces low-carbon aluminium billets and T-bars under EGA's RevivAL brand. It also combines recycled metal with solar-powered primary aluminium (CelestiAL-R) and nuclear-powered aluminium (MinimAL-R). This positions EGA to meet growing demand for low-emission metals from electric vehicles, aerospace, and construction. EGA's total recycling capacity now exceeds 400,000 tonnes annually across the UAE, Europe, and the US. Another 200,000 tonnes is under development. The project supports the UAE's 'Make it in the Emirates' and 'Operation 300bn' industrial strategies while strengthening the country's circular economy and climate commitments.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

185k tonnes of recycled aluminium capacity is a decent step. The 95% energy savings claim is the real hook here. Curious how much of that scrap was previously exported and what the net emissions impact actually looks like.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

They mention ending the practice of exporting scrap overseas. That alone cuts transport emissions. But the article doesn't give a baseline for how much scrap was exported before. Would like to see the numbers.

news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 pts

They do mention the plant was delayed by the Iranian attack on Khalifa Economic Zone in March. Production restarted in early May. Full capacity expected in six months subject to scrap availability. That's a real operational constraint.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

The 95% figure is standard for aluminium recycling vs primary. What matters more is the power source for the recycling process itself. If it's running on the UAE grid, that's still mostly gas. Solar or nuclear would make the real difference.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

Good point on the power source. The article says they combine recycled aluminium with solar and nuclear primary metal for certain product lines. But the recycling plant itself likely draws from the grid. Carbon accounting gets messy here.