As part of the Industrial Demonstrations Program funded by the Department of Energy, Century Aluminum was awarded 500 million to build a state-of-the-art aluminum smelter. The Green Aluminum Smelter project, led by Century Aluminum Company, will have the ability to emit 75 percent less climate pollution than the existing aluminum production facilities.
The project will become the first facility of it’s kind in the nation in 45 years and is said to be “a dramatic turning point” for the production of aluminum, which is a key factor for the clean energy economy.
“Primary aluminum is a key ingredient in the clean energy transition and being able to make more of it at home will be essential to meeting our climate targets,” CeCe Grant, director of the Industrial Transformation campaign, said. “But more importantly, with this project, Century will be showcasing for the world how primary aluminum can be made with dramatically fewer greenhouse gas and toxic air emissions, making this project a double win for the environment and communities.”
The smelter, once complete, would “double the size of the current U.S. primary aluminum industry,” according to a project fact sheet. The high-purity aluminum produced that eventually come from the smelter would be suitable for national defense, electric vehicles, semiconductors, building and construction, and clean energy applications.
“This project shows that with the right policies, America can become a leader in climate- and community-friendly manufacturing. We do not have to sacrifice clean air and clean water for good jobs,” Iliana Paul, Industrial Campaign deputy director of the Sierra Club, said. “We hope this new facility is not only a turning point for our declining primary aluminum industry, but also a signal to all manufacturers itching to innovate and be more environmentally friendly. ”
While domestic production of new aluminum decreased in recent years, Century’s new facility will create approximately 1,000 full-time operations positions and 5,500 construction jobs.
According to Century Aluminum, the project “aims to work with job training organizations and apprenticeship programs to develop/support apprenticeship and advanced manufacturing training targeting displaced industrial workers programs.”
“As the child of a steelworker, I understand how economically important manufacturing is for the surrounding communities, while also being the source of serious health-harming pollution. If Century’s new facility is built in Kentucky, it will be a dramatic break from this status quo–Kentuckians will be able to have it all: good jobs, clean air and water, and prosperous communities,” Julia Finch, director of Sierra Club’s Kentucky chapter, said. “We hope to have the opportunity to work with Century to get strong community benefits associated with this project and hope those wins spill over to Century’s other Kentucky facility in Sebree.”
To learn more about the Industrial Demonstrations Program—Green Aluminum Smelter, click here.
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