Industrial Technologies Program — Boosting the Productivity and 

Competitiveness of U.S. Industry 

Industry consumes 33 percent of all energy used in the United States. By developing and adopting more 

energy efficiency technologies, U.S. industry can boost its productivity and competitiveness while 

strengthening national energy security, improving the environment, and reducing emissions linked to global 

climate change. 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) works in 

partnership with U.S. industry to increase the efficiency of energy and materials use, both now and in the 

future. EERE’s Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) is working to build the Industries of the Future through 

a coordinated program of research and development (R&D), validation, and dissemination of energy 

efficiency technologies and operating practices to reduce energy intensity in the industrial sector. ITP 

develops, manages, and implements a balanced portfolio that addresses industry requirements throughout 

the technology development cycle. The primary long-term strategy is to invest in high-risk, high-return R&D. 

Investments are focused on technologies and practices that provide clear public benefit but for which market 

barriers prevent adequate private sector investment. 

ITP focuses its resources on a small number of energy-intensive materials and process industries that account 

for over 55 percent of industrial energy consumption. 

• Aluminum 

• Chemicals 

• Forest Products 

• Glass 

• Metal Casting 

• Mining 

• Steel 

ITP uses a leveraging strategy that maximizes the energy and environmental benefits of its process-specific 

technology investments by coordinating and cooperating with energy-intensive industries. By working 

closely with the private sector, ITP is able to effectively plan and implement comprehensive R&D agendas and 

help disseminate and share best energy management practices throughout the United States. ITP publicprivate partnerships also facilitate voluntary efforts, such as the President’s Climate VISION initiative, to 

encourage industry and government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

ITP also conducts R&D projects on enabling technologies that are common to many industrial processes such 

as industrial energy systems, combustion, materials, and sensors and process control systems. In addition, 

ITP funds technical assistance activities to stimulate near-term adoption of best energy-saving technologies 

and practices within industry. These activities include plant assessments, tool development and training, 

information dissemination, and showcase demonstrations. 

New technologies that use energy efficiently also lower emissions and improve productivity. By leveraging 

technical and financial resources of industry and government, the ITP partnerships have generated 

significant energy and environmental improvements that benefit the nation and America’s businesses. 

Energy-intensive industries face enormous competitive pressures that make it difficult to make the necessary 

R&D investments in technology to ensure future efficiency gains. Without a sustained commitment by the 

private and public sectors to invest in new technology R&D and deployment, the ability to close the gap 

between U.S. energy supply and demand will be severely compromised. 
CONTENTS 

Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................ i


Industry Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 1


Aluminum Industry In Brief ................................................................................................................................ 1


Shipments and Trade ........................................................................................................................................... 2


Energy Use and Emissions in Aluminum Production .......................................................................................... 3


The Challenge ..................................................................................................................................................... 5


Research Categories of the Aluminum Portfolio ................................................................................................ 6


FY 2004 Highlights & Accomplishments .......................................................................................................... 7


Broad Industry Partnership ................................................................................................................................. 7


A Diverse Research Portfolio ................................................................................................................................ 8


Integrated Technical Assistance for the Aluminum Industry .............................................................................. 9


Applying R&D Results ........................................................................................................................................ 10


Disseminating Research Results .......................................................................................................................... 11


Tools, Publications, and Resources Available ................................................................................................. 12


Fact Sheets ........................................................................................................................................................ 12


How To Get Involved and Contact Information ............................................................................................ 13


Partnership Information ................................................................................................................................... 13


Access to Resources and Expertise....................................................................................................................... 13


Where to Go to Get More Information............................................................................................................. 14

EXHIBITS 

1. North American Aluminum Major Markets in 2002 ...................................................................................... 1


2. U.S. Aluminum Production ............................................................................................................................ 2


3. World Primary Production ............................................................................................................................. 2


4. U.S. Imports by Country 2002 ....................................................................................................................... 2


5. Energy Use in the Aluminum Sector .............................................................................................................. 4


6. Process & Technology Improvements That Target Energy Efficiency ............................................................. 6


7. ITP Aluminum Funding by Performing Organization................................................................................... 7


8. Industry Partnership - Aluminum Performers and Project Partners ...............................................................7


9. Research Funding by Roadmap Category ...................................................................................................... 8


10. Aluminum Portfolio by Primary Category and Project Leadership ................................................................8


11. Examples of EERE Technical and Financial Assistance ................................................................................... 9


12. Examples of EERE and ITP Research Related to Aluminum ............................................................................ 9

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Aluminum is an indispensable metal to modern manufacturing. Its low density, corrosion resistance, and 

ease of processing make aluminum the metal of choice for many manufactured products ranging from 

spacecraft components to beverage cans. The aluminum industry consumed nearly 909 trillion Btu (TBtu) in 

2002 and produced over $40 billion in products that are vital to U.S. manufacturing. The aluminum 

industry is responsible for approximately 2.8 percent of the total manufacturing energy consumed in the 

United States and 1.6 percent of all U.S. electricity consumption. Energy-intensive operations consist of the 

primary aluminum production from ore, secondary aluminum production from scrap, shape casting, rolling, 

and extrusion. ITP’s Aluminum portfolio cost shares pre-competitive transformational research and 

development (R&D) to improve the energy efficiency of these operations. It fosters research partnerships and 

has been credited as the driving force behind many significant technical advances, with the goal of lower 

energy consumption by an estimated 59 TBtu in 2010. 

ITP’s Aluminum portfolio conducts its R&D activities to promote partnerships among industry, suppliers, 

academia, and national laboratories. These partnerships recognize that no single organization is likely to 

allocate the resources (knowledge, staff, facilities and capital) to pursue high-risk, energy efficiency R&D. 

R&D partnerships, which include industrial end-users, are established around cost-shared projects to ensure 

that the developments are of commercial value to the industry. This approach accelerates the rate of 

development and of new product diffusion. It garners energy efficiency benefits earlier in the product life 

cycle. These multi-team partnerships also introduce many university and graduate students to the aluminum 

industry. This enables a well-educated and well-trained workforce, which is imperative for the aluminum 

industry to remain innovative and competitive in the global economy. The aluminum industry stakeholders 

developed a vision that they updated in 2001 establishing long-term goals and technology roadmaps that 

chart the R&D pathways to achieve these goals. These documents, in conjunction with other DOE 

conducted analyses, have formed the basis for open and competitive R&D solicitations that address the 

energy efficiency goals outlined in the National Energy Policy, as well as the aluminum industry’s research 

priorities. 

This successful industry-supplier-academic-government collaboration continues to focus on transformational 

research projects to make revolutionary improvements in energy efficiency in the aluminum industry. The 

following summarizes major highlights and accomplishments of the Aluminum portfolio during FY 2004 and 

provides a snapshot of the Aluminum portfolio research. 

A Successful Strategy with Industry 

DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy leads federal development of advanced energyefficient and environmentally-friendly industrial technologies. Aluminum industry R&D is a component of 

the overall EERE strategy, contributing to a reduction in energy intensity of industry, a goal outlined in the 

National Energy Policy. 

EERE/ITP is working to build the Industries of the Future through a strategy that is based on multi-year 

planning, industry involvement and input during the planning process, and careful analysis and data 

based decision making. This strategy not only takes into consideration the interests of the industry as 

described in their R&D Technology Roadmaps, but also consists of an agenda of analytical studies that 

provide the basis for decision making. For instance, the Aluminum Industry Technology Roadmap, published in 

1997 and revised in November 2001, has provided the basis for focusing the R&D by identifying industry 

research interests. The Aluminum Energy and Environmental Profile, Bandwidth study, and Footprint study 

were developed using both government and industry data and information, and industry expertise to 

provide the next level of prioritization for the portfolio. By using these studies, the portfolio is able to 

design a multi-year R&D plan based on the focus area, barrier, and pathway approach. In this approach, a 

limited number of critical technology focus areas are identified along with the technical barriers preventing 

their successful implementation. A multi-year plan (called a “Pathway”) is then developed that will guide 

the R&D activities leading to a successful development of the focus area technology. The “Pathways” are 

then the basis for solicitations of pre-competitive R&D that addresses both energy efficiency goals outlined 

in the National Energy Policy and aluminum industry research priorities. This successful strategy has now 

i 
evolved to a point where it provides focus on potentially high-impact research to make revolutionary 

improvements in aluminum production. 

Research Portfolio 

ITP manages a diverse Aluminum portfolio of research focused on primary metal production, melting/ 

thermal, and forming operations. Production of primary aluminum from ore is the area with the most 

opportunities for improving energy efficiency. Approximately 36 percent of Aluminum portfolio funding is 

directed toward lowering primary metal energy consumption. Essentially, all secondary metal and most 

imported metal are initially melted to be processed into aluminum products. In addition, molten primary 

metal is held in furnaces for purification and alloy adjustment. These melting and thermal operations 

provide large opportunities for energy efficiency improvement. Nearly 47 percent of the Aluminum portfolio 

funding is directed at melting/thermal operations. Forming aluminum by itself is not a relatively high 

consumer of energy. However, remelting, trimming, scrap, and off-spec products are energy-intensive. The 

remaining 17 percent of Aluminum portfolio funding is directed at developing methods and techniques to 

minimize forming losses. 

The FY 2004 ITP Aluminum portfolio consists of 27 projects. These involve over 52 partners from industry, 

suppliers, academia, and national laboratories working in 20 states to improve the energy efficiency of the 

industry. These projects typically last from two to four years and will expend over $48 million federal and 

industry cost-shared funds to address the research priorities identified by the industry in their vision and 

roadmap documents. The involvement of the industry at the inception of project development accelerates 

technology transfer and dissemination of research results. 

Industrial experts review the Aluminum portfolio annually. These experts provide the Aluminum portfolio 

with information concerning the performance of each project, the portfolio’s technology distribution and 

potential risk/reward. It is estimated that the activities of ITP’s Aluminum portfolio will produce energy 

savings of over 59 TBtu in 2010. 

Aluminum Portfolio Accomplishments 

The Aluminum portfolio performed various outreach activities to disseminate R&D results and accelerate 

adoption of developed technologies during the 2004 fiscal year. Nine documents by the Aluminum portfolio 

and its partners were presented at the 2004 Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society’s (TMS) 133rd annual 

meeting. The Aluminum USA 2003 Exposition provided the Aluminum portfolio with the opportunity to 

interact with many of the aluminum industry stakeholders. The Aluminum portfolio worked with the DOE’s 

Midwest Regional Office to coordinate booth activities and to develop a presentation on the Aluminum 

portfolio and EERE’s R&D activities. Students participating in EERE’s Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) in 

the Chicago area were also invited to attend and participate in the exposition. 

The ITP’s Aluminum portfolio actively promoted a success story of Alcoa’s involvement with DOE’s PlantWide Assessment (PWA) program, which was instrumental in the development of the Alcoa Energy Services’ 

Energy Efficiency program. The initial 2000 DOE cost-shared PWA at Alcoa’s Lafayette, IN, facility identified 

over $2 million in potential energy savings. The savings opportunities identified by the PWA and the 

methods used to categorize potential savings opportunities became a key part of Alcoa’s Energy Efficiency 

program. Building on the Lafayette assessment, Alcoa’s Energy Efficiency Network has identified over $60 

million in potential energy savings that could result in over 6,500,000 million cubic feet of natural gas and 

60,000,000 kWh of electricity savings annually. To date, over $15 million of this energy savings potential has 

been realized. 

Current R&D and Project Successes 

Researchers at Alcoa, Inc., Elkem, Inc., and Carnegie Mellon University are modeling and pilot testing 

subsystems of a carbothermic reduction reactor for primary aluminum production. This technology could 

revolutionize the aluminum industry in the same way that the “mini-mill” changed the steel industry. 

Researchers have identified and overcome substantial engineering challenges related to materials-ofii 
construction for high-temperature reactors, recovery of aluminum vapor, and process controls for complex 

multi-stage chemical reactions. The models and test results are providing the technical, economic, and 

environmental data to evaluate the viability of the carbothermic reduction process. ITP estimates that this 

new technology will save about 20 TBtu and $108.3 million annually in operating costs by 2020. 

The Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) system developed with ITP and Energy Research Company 

(ERCo) is operational and undergoing field evaluation at Commonwealth Aluminum in Uhrichsville, Ohio. 

The installed system is intended to be permanent with continued operation by Commonwealth personnel 

following the initial testing/evaluation. The LIBS system provides real-time molten metal compositional data, 

enabling the user to adjust concentrations of various elements while manufacturing different aluminum 

alloys. The system will be commercially useful to production in various industries, including glass, steel, and 

other metals. A cumulative reduction of 55 TBtu to 83 TBtu per year across the aluminum industry is 

achievable using this technology. 

The “Energy Efficient Isothermal Melting” project utilizes a novel immersion heater concept with the 

potential to revolutionize melting/thermal capabilities of the aluminum industry. The completely submerged 

melting tube and real-time controls maintain the temperature of molten aluminum in a furnace system at a 

constant temperature under various thermal melting loads. Energy efficiencies of over 95 percent have been 

demonstrated by limiting the energy input to only what is required and not the excessive energy required for 

heating fuel gases and refractories. This technology is applicable to every segment of the aluminum industry. 

It will enhance the United States’ capability to meet domestic demand for aluminum. The method is also 

adaptable to other metals and to glass melting. 

iii 
INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 

Even after 100 years, the demand for aluminum continues to increase as it finds new uses and replaces other 

materials. Its low density, corrosion resistance, and easy processing possibilities, coupled with its ease and 

value for recycling, strengthen its position as the material of choice in many applications. Aluminum 

demand has grown at an annual rate of 3.6 percent over the past 10 years. The U.S. per capita consumption 

in 2002 was 65 pounds. U.S. aluminum manufacturing operations are performed in more than 400 plants 

in 41 states and employ over 145,000 people. More recently, demand for aluminum is accelerating due to 

the need for lightweight materials in the transportation 

sector. Measured in either mass-produced or economic 

value, aluminum’s application exceeds that of any other 

metal, except iron. Exhibit 1 illustrates the wide use of 

aluminum and major North American industrial markets 

for aluminum components. 

Aluminum Industry in Brief 

Aluminum metal is made from two sources: primary metal 

produced from bauxite ore and secondary metal produced 

from scrap. The aluminum forming industry, consisting of 

over 300 U.S. facilities, transforms both primary and 

secondary metals into plate, sheet, foil, extrusions, castings 

and other components used throughout the U.S. 

manufacturing industries. The U.S. demand for aluminum 

metal is met by both domestic production of primary and 

secondary metals and by imports. 

Production of aluminum metal from ore requires very large 

Exhibit 1


North American Aluminum


Major Markets in 2002


Markets Metric tonnes Percent 

Containers & Packaging 

Building & Construction 

Consumer Durables 

Machinery & Equipment 

Electrical 

Transportation 

TOTAL 

Other Shipments 

Exports 

3,409,000 31.8% 

722,000 

677,000 

616,000 5.8% 

6.3% 

6.8% 

14.6% 

21.1% 

390,000 

10,705,000 

3.6% 

100% 

1,069,000 10.0% 

1,564,000 

2,258,000 

Source: Aluminum Statistical Review for 2002. 

The Aluminum Association, page 27. 

facilities (capacity over 400,000 tonnes/year) to obtain viable economies-of-scale. The large-scale and highcapital cost requirements ($4,000/annual tonne) limit market entry. Only 11 producers maintain 23 U.S. 

plants. These plants produced more than 2,705,100 tonnes of primary metal in 2002.1 Since the inception of 

the industry in 1886 until 2001, the United States was the world’s largest producer of primary aluminum. 

During the summer of 2001, the majority of the aluminum smelting capacity in the Pacific Northwest – 

approximately 43 percent of all U.S. primary capacity – was shut down due to four key factors: an extensive 

heat wave in the western United States, historically low water levels in the Pacific Northwest, a downturn in 

U.S. economic growth, and significant increases in electricity costs. Energy represents 25 to 35 percent of the 

costs of producing primary metal. The Pacific Northwest plants have remained idle due to continued high 

regional costs of electricity and global competition. China, Russia, and Canada have now surpassed the 

United States in primary aluminum production. In order to compete internationally, the U.S. primary 

industry is in critical need of new technologies that reduce energy consumption. 

Secondary aluminum is produced by melting and purifying scrap or recycled aluminum. The growth of 

secondary metal production from recycled aluminum products represents the greatest change in the structure 

of the U.S. aluminum industry. Secondary metal, which accounted for only 18 percent of U.S. aluminum 

metal production in 1960, accounted for 52 percent in 2002. Recovering aluminum from scrap consumes less 

than 6 percent of the energy required to produce primary aluminum and capital costs are roughly one tenth 

the cost of production in a primary plant. The economies-of-scale and barriers to market entry for secondary 

producers are less significant than in primary production, and the United States has more than 136 plants in 

35 states that produced over 2,920,000 tonnes of metal in 2002. The U.S. secondary market will continue its 

steady growth (4.3 percent annually) and be a major contributor to the industry’s energy savings.3

 However, 

the growth of the secondary industry is limited by the supply of scrap in the Unities States4. Intense global 

competition from countries that recognize the limited supply and economic benefits of producing secondary 

metal domestically has contributed to a tight international scrap supply market. 

1 Aluminum Statistical Review for 2002, The Aluminum Association Inc., 2003, p 10.


2 “Light Metal Age” Secondary Aluminum Smelters of the United States, Aug 2003 p 8-9.


3 Aluminum statistical review for 2002, The Aluminum Association Inc., 2003, p 10.


4 “Modeling the Impact of Secondary Recovery (Recycling) on U. S. Aluminum Supply and Nominal Energy Requirements,” William T. Choate, John A.S. Green, TMS 2003.


1 
Shipments and Trade 

Exhibit 2 illustrates the changing U.S. primary and secondary production, along with total U.S. shipments 

(primary, secondary and imports) from 1998 to 2002. 

Global restructuring of the primary aluminum industry 

began in the late 1970s and continues to this day. Energy 

costs account for 25 to 35 percent of the total cost of 

primary aluminum production, and nearly 53 percent of 

the energy used worldwide for primary aluminum comes 

from hydroelectric power. For this reason, many 

companies have moved production from sites close to 

their customers to sites with lower electricity costs. 

Countries with low energy costs are emerging as primary 

producers: Brazil, Norway, and Venezuela with 

hydroelectric power, Iceland with geothermal power and 

countries in the Persian Gulf with excess fossil fuels. 

Primary aluminum production is viewed as an effective 

means of converting a local energy resource into an 

export that provides hard currency. Exhibit 3 illustrates 

the decline of U.S. market share as a percentage of world 

primary production. It is important to note that many 

U.S. aluminum companies maintain production facilities 

in other countries around the world. Global primary 

aluminum production has been growing at a rate of 2.2 

percent annually over the last 10 years. 

Year 

U.S. 

Primary 

Metal 

Production 

metric 

tonnes 

U.S. 

Secondary 

Metal 

Production 

metric 

tonnes 

U.S. total 

Supply, metric 

tonnes 

1988 3,712,700 3,442.000 10,419,000 

1999 3,778,600 3,695,000 11,154,000 

2000 3,668,400 3,450,000 10,699,000 

2001 2,636,500 2,970,000 9,093,000 

2002 2,705,100 2,920,000 9,500,000 

Exhibit 2


U.S. Aluminum Production


Source: Aluminum Statistical Review for 2002, The Aluminum 

Association, page 7. 

Exhibit 3


World Primary Production


Source: Aluminum Statistical Review for 2002, The Aluminum 

Association, page 46. 

Secondary aluminum production accounts for roughly onequarter of the total aluminum production worldwide, and 

more than half of the United States’ domestically produced 

aluminum is made from recycled scrap. Recycling has 

historically been concentrated in the countries where the 

scrap is generated, with the exception of a few Asian 

countries, particularly China, that import scrap to supply 

demand from their automobile industries. The international 

market for aluminum scrap is changing as developing 

countries realize that scrap aluminum provides reasonable 

economies-of-scale for local production to meet local 

demand. For this reason, scrap exportation from the United 

Year 

1999 

1998 

2000 

2001 

Global Primary Metal 

Production, 

metric tonnes 

24,281,000 

24,395,000 

23,641,000 

22,608,000 16.4% 

16.0% 

U.S. Global 

Market Share 

% 

15.0% 

10.8% 

2002 25,915,000 10.4% 

States continues to grow and is beginning to exert pressure on the 

supply of metal to U.S. secondary aluminum producers. Detailed 

world secondary aluminum production numbers are not available. 

Imported aluminum supplies the U.S. demand for metal not met 

by domestic primary and secondary production. Imports are used 

to produce nearly one-third of the aluminum products 

manufactured in the United States. Exhibit 4 lists the five 

countries that provide most of the U.S. imported aluminum. 

Imports typically originate from countries with large hydroelectric 

capacity and low-cost electricity. Canada, which operates 100 

percent of its primary production on hydroelectric power, is the 

largest exporter to the United States. 

Exhibit 4


U.S. Imports by Country 2002


Source: Aluminum Statistical Review for 2002, The 

Aluminum Association, page 40. 

Country 

Russia 

Canada 

Germany 

Venezuela 

Australia 

Metric tonnes 

2,554,000 

752,300 17% 

58% 

Percent of 

Imports 

235,300 

97,600 

5% 

2% 

97,200 2%

2
Energy Use and Emissions in Aluminum Production 

The aluminum industry consumed more than 909 TBtu in 2002. This includes an estimated 494 TBtu lost in 

off-site power generation and distribution losses.5 The aluminum industry is responsible for about 2.8 

percent of all energy consumed by the U.S. industrial sector, with 85 percent of the energy consumption 

attributable to electric power use. The amount of electricity consumed by an average primary facility is 

equivalent to that of 300,000 residential homes in the United States.6 Energy costs the industry over $2 

billion each year, or 5.2 percent of the value of products produced in 2000.7 Exhibit 5 shows the industry’s 

energy use by energy source. While more than 50 percent (218 TBtu/yr) of the on-site energy used is supplied 

by electric power, the remainder (196 TBtu/yr) is provided by fossil fuels (60 percent natural gas, 14 percent 

coke and pitch, 20 percent fuel oil, and 6 percent other fuel sources).8 

More specifically, primary aluminum is one of the most energy-intensive materials produced in large 

quantities in the United States. Only paper, gasoline, steel, and ethylene manufacturing consume more 

energy for manufacturing in the United States. During 2002, primary aluminum production was the largest 

U.S. electric energy consumer, using 57.6 x 109 kWh of electricity, or 1.5 percent of all the electricity consumed 

by the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors of the U.S. economy. Electricity represents 25 to 35 

percent of the costs to produce primary metal.9 Primary metal production contributes 40 percent, or 7.4 

million tonnes annually of the non-combustion CO2

 generated by U.S. industry. This is a by-product of the 

consumable anodes used for electrolysis. In addition, nearly 28.6 million tonnes/year of CO2 can be 

attributed to the electricity needed for the primary reduction reaction. 

The melting and purification of scrap to produce secondary aluminum consumes less than 6 percent of the 

energy required to produce primary aluminum. Hence, recycling in the United States saved more than 788 

TBtu of energy in 2002. Fifty-two percent of U.S.-produced metal during that year was made from recycled 

material. The growth of the secondary metal market is due in large part to its economic benefits.10 

Approximately 2 million tonnes/year of CO2 are associated with the production of secondary aluminum. 

The major aluminum-forming operations, consisting of rolling, extrusion, and shape casting, consume about 

2 40 TBtu annually and emit about 2.8 million tonnes/year of CO .

5 These values include energy generation, transmission losses, and feedstock energy. The values assume 9,780 BTU/kWh for tacit electrical energy conversion. 

6 Based on the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, Residential Energy Consumption Survey, average energy consumption in a year per 

house ratioed to the average Btu consumption by a primary aluminum facility. 

7 Aluminum Industry of the Future http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/aluminum/profile.html 

8 Choate, William T. and John A.S. Green, PhD, U.S. Energy Requirements for Aluminum Production: Historical Perspective, Theoretical Limits, and New 

Opportunities, November 2002, Appendix F, Table F-7. 

9 Ibid, Table F-7. 

10 Ibid, pg. 59. 

3
Exhibit 5


Energy Use in the Aluminum Sector


Coke & Pitch 

14% 

Natural Gas 

60% 

Aluminum Industry 

Secondary 

6% 

The Aluminum portfolio will 

reduce energy consumption in the 

aluminum industry by 30 percent -

240 TBtu per year in 2020. 

Energy Use Among Aluminum Sectors 

Fuels 

Electricity 

712 trillion Btu 

494 trillion Btu 

218 trillion Btu 

196 trillion Btu 

254 trillion Btu 

Off-site power 

generation losses 

Fuel Oil 

20% 

 The aluminum industry operates more 

than 400 plants in 41 states. 

 The average aluminum facility consumes 

an amount of energy equivalent to 10,049 households. 

 The industry purchases 406 TBtu, which 

is valued at over $2 billion. 

 The industry employs more than 145,000 

and provides over $5.5 billion in wages. 

 In 2002, the U.S. aluminum industry 

utilized 9,741,000 tonnes of aluminum to produce over $40 billion in products. 

 The 2002 industry's annual carbon 

dioxide emissions are 44 million tonnes. 

Primary 

84% 

Electricity received 

at plant 

Rolling 

3% Extrusion 

2% 

Shape Casting 

5% 

Sources: Energy data from Annual Energy Outlook 2004, Supplemental Tables: Table 31, page 41 

Other 

6% 

4
THE CHALLENGE 

The U.S. aluminum industry has reduced its energy intensity by 58 percent over the past 40 years: 21 percent 

as a result of technical progress and 37 percent with the growth of recycling. Secondary aluminum’s strong 

growth rate (4.3 percent annually) will continue to contribute substantially in lowering the total energy 

demand of the industry. Secondary aluminum is also changing the structure of the industry; its inherently 

low-energy intensity (6 percent of primary metal) and lower capital requirements have made secondary metal 

the largest production segment for aluminum in the United States. 

All commercial primary aluminum (aluminum from ore) is produced using one process: Hall-Héroult 

electrolytic reduction of alumina. This process – developed, patented, and commercialized in 1886 – is still in 

use, and consists of a reaction cell with a single pair of electrodes. The process fundamentals remain 

unchanged despite vast engineering improvements in efficiency and scale. The Hall-Héroult process is energyintensive, with electricity accounting for 25 to 35 percent of the total production costs. Significant 

engineering changes in cell design and operation have occurred as a result of increased attention to energy 

efficiency, but technical progress of late has been slow and incremental. The last significant energy efficiency 

process improvement was made in the 1970s as use of new equipment and techniques for smaller and more 

frequent alumina additions began. 

The 777 TBtu consumed in 2002 by the U.S. primary aluminum industry (85 percent of the energy consumed 

by the entire aluminum industry) was over three times greater than the theoretical minimum requirement. 

This large difference indicates the technical potential to reduce energy intensity through R&D activities. 

Although the theoretical ideal may not be achieved, large gains in efficiency and savings appear attainable. 

Examination of the energy consumption and theoretical requirements of individual processes point to 

pathways where valuable R&D resources should be focused to provide the greatest reduction of energy 

intensity. Further efforts to improve the Hall-Héroult process require high-risk and high-cost research. The 

primary market is mature and in decline in the United States, and like other mature industries, this market 

focuses their limited resources on product application and use instead of primary metal production. The 

Aluminum portfolio has selected and funded primary production projects in partnership with industry that 

could revolutionize the production of aluminum. These projects are high-risk with a potential to provide 

significant increases in energy efficiency, yet they are endeavors that mature, risk-adverse industries are 

hesitant to pursue. 

All primary metal is placed in holding furnaces to be purified and alloyed. All secondary metal is produced by 

melting scrap aluminum, purifying, and alloying. A large portion of imported primary and secondary 

aluminum ingots are remelted for many processing reasons. Nearly every segment of the aluminum industry 

uses melting/thermal technology to maintain a vast pool of molten metal (over 25 billion lbs/year is a 

tenable number). The energy required to melt, maintain temperature, and process molten metal was about 

118 TBtu in 2002. The average energy efficiency of melting/thermal process is less than 30 percent. This low 

efficiency provides a significant opportunity for new technologies to save energy. 

Recovering one pound of secondary aluminum saves 10 times the energy required to produce the same pound 

of metal with primary processing. The secondary metal industry is dominated by small companies lacking 

resources to focus on R&D, such as high-risk melting/thermal technologies. The technologies that aid in the 

recovery of aluminum (e.g., the identification and sorting of scrap), or the reduction of metal lost to 

oxidation or metal entrained in dross saves nearly all the energy consumed to produce the primary metal. 

ITP’s Aluminum portfolio has therefore selected and funded secondary production projects in partnership 

with secondary industry members and equipment suppliers. Especially considering the current trend of more 

and more aluminum ingot being imported, this approach brings together more resources to accelerate 

development of secondary metal technologies. Furthermore, R&D funding used to improve yield in the 

forming markets saves significant energy by avoiding the need to remelt scrap with its resultant oxidation 

and dross losses of aluminum. 

5
Research Categories of the Aluminum Portfolio 

The success of ITP’s Aluminum portfolio is rooted in a strong alliance between the aluminum industry, its 

suppliers, academia, national laboratories, and EERE. This collaborative partnership directs its efforts at 

high-impact, revolutionary research to improve energy efficiency and lower emissions. The research is 

grouped into five categories: 

• Alternative Reduction Systems: Research to develop non-Hall-Hèroult reduction techniques that have 

the ability to revolutionize the aluminum industry. 

• Advanced Hall-Hèroult Cells: Research to develop materials and engineering designs needed to 

dramatically reduce unproductive heat-generating cell resistances, eliminate cell-side CO

inert anode materials, and provide more efficient control of cell fluid flows. 2

 emissions with 

• Melting/Thermal Technologies: Research focusing on the entire melting/thermal system and involving 

multiple technologies that minimize melt oxidation, dross formation, and remelting requirements. 

Improvements in the melting process can significantly impact energy consumption and costs. 

• Forming: Research to improve product quality, performance, and scrap generation lowers energy by 

reducing the amount of scrap generated requiring remelting, thereby reducing heat treatment 

requirements. 

• R&D Integration and System Analysis: Integration of applicable ITP technologies to improve energy 

efficiency and reduce emissions in aluminum manufacturing practices. This includes other ITP portfolios 

and ITP’s BestPractices programs for energy demand management. 

Exhibit 6


Process & Technology Improvements That Target Energy Efficiency


Advanced 

Hall-Heroult 

Alternative 

Reduction 

Melting 

Technologies 

Forming 

Technologies 

Wetted Cathodes 

Inert Anodes 

Multi-Polar Cells 

Dross Reduction 

Melt Loss Reduction 

Improved Yield 

Reducted Scrap 

Plant-Wide 

Assessments 

Aluminum 

Production Facility 

Energy Guidelines; 

Emissions Reduction; 

Byproduct Reduction 

Meet or exceed target of 11 kWh/kg for smelting and achieve additional energy 

targets established by industry. 

Produce zero net emissions of greenhouse gases on a life-cycle basis. 

R&D Integration 

and Analysis 

Carbothermic 

Reduction 

Ionic Liquid 

Processing 

6
FY 2004 HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS 

ITP’s Aluminum portfolio supports a diverse and balanced R&D portfolio of cost-shared, pre-competitive 

projects to realize national goals regarding energy, economy, and the environment. The 27 active projects 

within the FY 2004 portfolio have a total budget of $48 million, $24 million in ITP funding and $24 million 

in cost-share funding from the project partners. 

All R&D projects are selected through a competitive solicitation process. Official solicitation notices can be 

found on the ITP’s Aluminum Web site, Commerce Business Daily, and/or FedBizOpps. Projects are 

chosen based on energy efficiency, environmental improvements, and their ability to meet industry needs 

identified in vision and roadmap documents. Awarded projects are researched by multi-team partnerships; 

these partnerships typically include at least one aluminum company or industry equipment supplier in order 

to boost the market introduction phase of 

commercial development. Annual R&D portfolio 

reviews are conducted by industry experts who assess 

the current status of projects in terms of energy 

savings and industry impact. These authorities 

recommend project modifications to the Aluminum 

portfolio and principal investigators to ensure that 

milestones are reached and goals are achieved. The 

Aluminum Association plays an active role in 

supporting, monitoring, and disseminating project 

results and Aluminum portfolio activities. 

Broad Industry Partnership 

The Aluminum portfolio facilitates R&D 

collaboration among industry, suppliers, universities, 

and national laboratory participants. Partnerships 

spread the cost and risk of R&D to promote 

innovation and progress on projects too complex, 

costly, or time-consuming for companies to 

undertake individually. Technical expertise, practical 

experience, and state-of-the-art resources and 

facilities are brought together to dramatically 

accelerate advances in 

critical challenge areas. 

Exhibit 7


ITP Aluminum Funding By Performing Organization


Laboratory 

27% 

University 

9% 

Industry 

64% 

Exhibit 8 

Industry Partnership – Aluminum Research Performers and Project Partners 

The FY 2004 Aluminum 

portfolio funded 27 

active projects with 52 

industry, laboratory, 

and university partners 

in 20 states. Exhibit 7 

illustrates the 

distribution of ITP 

Aluminum funding by 

performing 

organization. Industry 

received 64 percent, 

national laboratories 

27 percent, and 

universities 9 percent 

of the Aluminum 

project funding. The 

geographic reach of 

The Aluminum of the Future is partnering with 52 university, industry, and 

laboratory partners in 20 states across the U.S. 

Industry Partners 

Principal Investigators 

Alcoa Incorporated 

Apogee Technology, Inc. 

Applied Industrial Solutions, LLC 

Argonne National Laboratory 

Carnegie Mellon University 

Cornell University 

Gas Technology Institute 

Idaho National Engineering and 

Environmental Laboratory 

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory 

Lehigh University 

Michigan Technological University 

Ohio State University 

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory 

Pennsylvania State University 

Secat, Inc. 

Selee Corporation 

University of Alabama 

University of Alabama - Birmingham 

University of California - Berkeley 

University of California - Irvine 

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 

University of Kentucky 

University of Michigan 

University of Tennessee 

Washington State University 

Wright State University 

Principal Investigators 

7 
the Aluminum portfolio partnership is illustrated in Exhibit 

8 and includes suppliers, designers, manufacturers, end-users, 

and national laboratories. The portfolio also enables the 

industry to expose students to opportunities in the 

aluminum industry by involving universities in various 

research projects. 

A Diverse Research Portfolio 

Exhibit 9 illustrates Aluminum portfolio funding by research 

category. The portfolio addresses the diversity of the 

industry with research in melting/thermal, forming, and 

primary operations. The largest opportunities for improving 

energy efficiency are in the primary production sector and a 

significant portion (36 percent) of the funding goes to 

research in this area. This proportion of funding recognizes 

the high risks involved and the decline of the primary sector 

in the United States. The research focuses on technologies 

Exhibit 9


Research Funding by Roadmap Category


Melting 

47% 

Forming 

17% 

Primary 

Advanced 

18% 

Primary 

Alternative 

18% 

that, in addition to reducing energy usage, will help to sustain the industry in the United States. A list of the 

current portfolio of aluminum projects along with performing organizations organized by research categories 

is shown in Exhibit 10. 

Exhibit 10


Aluminum Portfolio by Primary Category and Project Leadership


(Fact sheets are available at http:/www.eere.energy.gov/industry/aluminum/portfolio.html) 

Primary Forming 

• Combined Experimental and Computational Approach for the 

Advanced Hall-Héroult Design of Mold Surface Topography (Cornell University) 1844 

•	 Inert Metal Anodes for Primary Aluminum Production (Argonne • Coolant Characteristic and Control in Direct Chill Casting Aluminum 

National Laboratory) 1644 (Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory) 1684 

•	 Microwave-Assisted Electrolyte Cell with Inert Anode and Wetted • Development of a Rolling Process Design Tool for Use in Improving 

Cathode for Primary Aluminum Production (Michigan Technological Hot Roll Slab Recovery (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) 

University) 1850 1683 

•	 Numerical Modeling of Transient Melt Flows and Interface Instability in • Surface Behavior of Aluminum Alloys Deformed Under Various 

Aluminum Reduction Cells (University of Michigan) 1853 Processing Conditions (Lehigh University) 1752 

• Effects of Impurities on the Processing of Aluminum Alloys 

Alternative Reduction Technologies (Pennsylvania State University) 1856 

• Aluminum Carbothermic Technology (Alcoa Incorporated) 1273 • Evaluation & Characterization of In-Lined Annealed Continuous Cast 

• Low-Temperature Reduction of Alumina Using Fluorine-Containing Aluminum Sheet (Secat, Incorporated) 1686 

Ionic Liquids (University of Alabama) 1854 • Effects of Casting Conditions and Composition on Microstructural 

Gradients in Roll Cast Aluminum Alloys (University of AlabamaMelting Birmingham) 1851 

• Reduction of Annealing Times for Energy Conservation in Aluminum 

•	 Energy-Efficient Isothermal Melting (ITM) of Aluminum (Apogee Processing (Carnegie Mellon University) 1755 

Technology, Incorporated) 1646 • Two-Phase Model for the Hot Deformation of High-Alloyed 

• Spray Rolling Aluminum Strip (University of California-Irvine) 1079 Aluminum (University of Illinois-Urbana) 1754 

•	 High-Efficiency Low-Dross Combustion System for Reverberatory • Structural Factors Affecting Formability of Continuous Cast 

Furnaces (Gas Technology Institute) 1274 Aluminum Alloys (University of Kentucky) 1760 

•	 Molten Aluminum Treatment by Salt Fluxing with Low Environmental • Development of Integrated Methodology for Thermo-Mechanical 

Emission (Ohio State University) 1855 Processing of Aluminum Alloys (Washington State University) 1756 

•	 Improving Energy Efficiency in Aluminum Melting (Secat, Incorporated) • Continuous Severe Plastic Deformation Processing of Aluminum 

1645 Alloys (Wright State University) 1687 

•	 Modeling Optimization of Direct Chill Casting to Reduce Ingot Cracking 

(Secat, Incorporated) 1276 

• Reduction of Oxidative Melt Loss (Secat, Incorporated) 1277 

• Selective Adsorption (Selee Corporation) 1272 

• Gas Fluxing of Aluminum (University of California Berkeley) 1753 

•	 Degassing of Aluminum Alloys Using Ultrasonic Vibrations (University of 

Tennessee) 1852 

8
Integrated Technical Assistance for the Aluminum Industry


ITP and other EERE portfolios have specifically 

supported and promoted programs that 

contribute to enhancing the viability of the 

aluminum industry. ITP has designed its 

organizational structure to provide every industry 

with a strategic and integrated array of assistance 

programs for saving energy. Approximately $25 

million in funding and research relevant to the 

aluminum industry was provided in 2004 through 

the combined investments of the EERE NICE3, 

EERE Inventions & Innovation, and ITP’s Steel, 

Metal Casting, Sensors and Controls, and 

Supporting Industries portfolios. 

EERE’s technical and financial resources extend 

Exhibit 11 

Examples of EERE Technical and Financial Assistance 

•	 I&I: Inventions and Innovation (I&I) provides financial assistance for conducting 

early development and establishing technical performance of innovative, 

energy-saving ideas and inventions. 

•	 IAC: Industrial Assessment Centers enable eligible small and medium-sized 

manufacturers to have comprehensive industrial assessments performed at no 

cost to the manufacturer. 

•	 State EERE Partnerships: State EERE Partnerships deliver the 

accomplishments of the national Industries of the Future strategy to the local 

level to expand the opportunities to a larger number of partners and reach 

smaller businesses and manufacturers that were not initially involved in EERE’s 

efforts. 

beyond support of ITP’s Aluminum portfolio to improve energy efficiency and increase competitiveness in the 

aluminum industry. Several examples of EERE assistance are shown in Exhibit 11. Exhibit 12 specifically lists 

examples of recent related research activities conducted concurrently with those funded through the 

Aluminum portfolio. EERE provides research on leading-edge enabling technologies, including Sensors & 

Exhibit 12


Examples of EERE and ITP Research Related to Aluminum


EERE Financial Assistance ITP Crosscutting Applications 

• Aluminum Bridge Decking • Forced Internal Reticulation (FIR) Burner (Combustion) 

• Aluminum Scrap Decoater • Dynamic Expert System Controls for Optimum Oxyfuel Melter Performance (Glass) 

•	 Demonstration of a High-Temperature Corrosion-Resistant • Advanced Lost Foam Casting Technology (Metal Casting) 

Recuperator for the Metals Industry • Development of Natural Aging Aluminum Alloy (Metal Casting) 

• Energy Conserving Tool for Combustion Dependent Industries • Die Materials for Critical Applications and Increased Production Rates (Metal Casting) 

•	 Increasing Productivity and Reducing Emissions Through the • Gating of Aluminum Permanent Mold Castings (Metal Casting) 

Enhanced Application Control Die • Heat Transfer at the Mold/Metal Interface in Permanent Mold Castings of Aluminum 

• Casting Lubricants Alloys (MetalCasting) 

• Microsmooth Process on Aluminum Wheels • Metallic Reinforcement of Direct Squeeze Die Cast Aluminum Alloys for Improved 

• Rapid Heat Treatment of Cast Aluminum Components Strength and Fracture (Metal Casting) 

• Recycling of Aluminum Dross/Saltcake • Optimization of the Squeeze Casting Process for Aluminum Alloy Parts (Metal Casting) 

• Advanced Intermetallic Alloy Development • Sensors for Die Casting (Metal Casting) 

•	 Lightweight, Cost-Effective Cast Aluminum Diesel Engine • Effects of Applied Pressure During Feeding on the Fatigue Properties of Cast Aluminum 

Head with Localized Reinforcement Alloys (Metal Casting) 

• CFCC Immersion Tubes • Rotary Burner Demonstration (Petroleum) 

• Nickel Aluminide Heat Trays and Furnace Fixtures • Centrifugally-Cast Nickel Aluminide Transfer Rolls for Steel (Steel) 

•	 Brazing and Spot Welding Innovations for Joining Aluminum • Laser Ultrasonics for On-line Measurement of Tube Wall and Eccentricity (Steel) 

Compounds • Measurements of Melt Constituents with LIBS (Steel) 

• Development of a Composite-Reinforced Aluminum • No Emissions Reduction by Oscillating Combustion (Steel) x 

Conductor • Intelligent Extruder (Sensors and Controls) 

•	 Development of an Innovative, Energy-Efficient, High- • Thermal Imaging Control of Furnaces and Combusters (Sensors & Controls) 

Temperature Natural-Gas-Fired Furnace • Enhancement of Aluminum Alloy Forging (Supporting Industries) 

• Development of Inert Anode for Primary Aluminum Industry • Materials and Process Design for High-Temperature Carburizing (Supporting Industries) 

• Energy-Saving Lightweight Refractory • Innovative Die Material and Lubrication Strategies for Forging Technologies (Supporting 

• Filtering Molten Metal Industries) 

•	 Innovative System Blows Away Sorting Problems for • Integrated Heat Treatment Model for Aluminum Castings (Supporting Industries) 

Recyclers 

• Monolithic Refractory Material Technical Assistance 

• Nickel-Based Superalloy with Improved Oxidation Resistance • ITP BestPractices – Plant Assessments and Hands-On Technical Assistance 

•	 Novel Ceramic Composition for Hall-Héroult Cell Anode - Alcoa 

Technologies - Amcast 

• Viable Inert Cathode for Smelting Primary Aluminum - Alumax 

• Novel Technique for Increasing Corrosion Resistance - Metlab 

• Reflective Aluminum Chips • Industrial Assessments 

•	 Titanium Matrix Composites Tooling Material for Enhanced • Over $20 million in annual energy-saving recommendations implemented in the 

Manufacture of Aluminum Die Castings aluminum industry since 1992.

• Viable Inert Cathode for Smelting Primary Aluminum 

9
Controls, Industrial Materials, Combustion, Forging, and others. Consistent with ITP, all these portfolios 

permit risk sharing for the advancement of industry-specific, pre-competitive, long-term, high-impact 

research. EERE provides financial assistance for small businesses through Small Business Innovative Research 

(SBIR) grants. 

The Aluminum portfolio is also working with Allied Partners to help deploy the results of aluminum research 

and improve energy efficiency in the industry. Allied Partners are manufacturers, trade associations, 

industrial service and equipment providers, utilities, and other organizations committed to promoting 

increased energy efficiency and industry productivity. The Aluminum portfolio has two Allied Partners -

Secat, Incorporated and The Aluminum Association Inc. These Allied Partners are working with ITP to 

disseminate the results of its research programs and technical assistance. 

The Aluminum Industry of the Future achieved a number of important accomplishments in FY 2004 with 

energy efficiency improvements being applied to the aluminum industry. The following describes successes in 

several key areas: 

• Applying R&D Results 

• Disseminating Research Results 

Applying R&D Results 

The aluminum industry is using ITP’s Aluminum portfolio research results to improve energy efficiency and 

lower costs. The Aluminum portfolio reviews its portfolio to identify those technologies that are emerging as 

potential commercial successes or are currently experiencing commercial success. “Emerging” technologies are 

those that have achieved laboratory or pilot-scale successes and are ready to be deployed on a commercial 

scale. ITP “commercial” technologies are those currently being used in the commercial industry as a result of 

funding. The following list provides examples of these commercial and emerging technologies. 

Current R&D with Promising Results 

Aluminum Carbothermic Technology (#1273): The carbothermic process is a complex, high-temperature 

(>2,000oC), three-stage thermodynamic reaction system for producing primary aluminum. Researchers led by 

Alcoa, Incorporated are demonstrating the technical, economic, and environmental viability of this 

industry-changing alternative to Hall-Héroult technology. This technology is estimated to reduce energy use 

by 35 percent, capital costs by 65 percent, and the environmental costs of producing aluminum. This 

research on the individual reaction stages will be completed in early FY 2005. ITP estimates an energy savings 

of 10.0 TBtu and an energy cost savings of $56.4 million in 2020 for this project. To learn more, please visit: 

http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/aluminum/pdfs/act-arp.pdf 

Inert Metal Anodes for Primary Aluminum Production (#1644): A multipolar pilot cell utilizing inert 

anodes and wettable cathodes has demonstrated a 17 percent reduction in electrical energy use over 50 hours 

of continuous operation. This pilot cell will be modified in the first quarter of FY 2005 to allow 1,000-hour 

continuous runs. These longer runs will evaluate and optimize the long-term stability of the electrodes and 

electrolyte system. This technology will result not only in lower electrical energy costs, but will lower thermal 

energy losses, have smaller economies-of-scale than Hall-Héroult and eliminate CO2 emissions from the 

reduction reaction. To learn more, please visit: http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/aluminum/pdfs/ 

dyninertmetanodes.pdf 

Energy-Efficient Isothermal Melting (ITM) of Aluminum (#1646): The ITM process achieves many of the 

goals outlined in the aluminum industry roadmaps, including: operates at well under half of the energy 

consumption required for conventional melting, decreases melt loss (1 percent versus 6 percent), reduces dross 

generation, produces no in-plant emissions, is practical for large-scale aluminum operations, future versions 

can be used in retrofit applications for existing furnaces, derivative heaters can be applied to energy-efficient 

heating and holding applications, and requires less than 25 percent of the floor space, as compared to 

conventional melting furnaces. The isothermal melting system has demonstrated success at 300 lb/hr, and in 

the third quarter of FY 2005, a new system will be installed into a 5,000 lb/hr melting bay of an exiting 

reverberatory furnace in order to evaluate and optimize the system under industrial conditions. To learn 

more, please visit: http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/aluminum/pdfs/itm.pdf 

10
Emerging Technologies 

Emerging Technologies are projects that are no longer receiving ITP funding but are anticipated to be 

commercialized within the next three years. 

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopic (LIBS): LIBS is a in-situ, real-time technique to measure the 

constituents of molten metal in a process furnace. Currently, constituent or elemental analysis is conducted 

by periodically extracting a molten metal sample from a furnace and taking it to a control laboratory for 

analyses. This is labor intensive and time consuming, and it does not allow real-time control. In-situ, realtime measurement of melt constituents will improve product quality by reducing defects, increasing furnace 

cycle times leading to continuous and semi-continuous operations, increasing furnace life by diagnosing the 

state of the furnace, and providing necessary data to develop and validate computer modeling and 

simulation leading to increased automation and efficiency of furnace operations. 

Commercial Technologies 

The Vertical Flotation Melter (VFM): Energy Research Company and other industrial partners designed, 

built, tested, produced, and marketed an innovative Vertical Flotation Melter (VFM) for processing scrap 

aluminum. The VFM can decoat aluminum scrap for feeding into a conventional furnace, or it can 

simultaneously decoat and melt scrap, which is a unique accomplishment. The thermal efficiency of the 

integrated decoat/melt process is estimated to be over 75 percent. The emissions of NOX, SO2

, CO, and VOCs 

from the VFM process have been measured to be well below allowable limits. The VFM has demonstrated a 

58 percent thermal efficiency melting. It is estimated to provide potential U.S. energy savings of 17 trillion 

Btu. To date, 15 VFM decoaters have been installed in the United States. To learn more about this project, 

please view the final report at: http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/aluminum/pdfs/floatation.pdf 

Disseminating Research Results 

ITP’s Aluminum portfolio performs outreach activities to disseminate R&D results, advance emerging 

technologies and promote involvement in activities such as conferences, seminars, and trade shows. The 

following outreach activities were conducted during FY 2003: 

The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society (TMS) Annual Meetings: In February, 2004, TMS hosted its 

133rd Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Charlotte, North Carolina. This annual event is the largest 

gathering of aluminum technologists in the United States. The Aluminum projects were well represented with 

nine documents directly related to the portfolio presented. 

Aluminum USA 2003 Exhibition: The Aluminum USA 2003 Exposition provided the Aluminum portfolio 

with the opportunity to interact with many of the aluminum industry stakeholders. The Aluminum 

portfolio worked with DOE’s Midwest regional office to coordinate booth activities and to develop a 

presentation on the Aluminum portfolio and EERE’s R&D activities. Students participating in EERE’s 

Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) in the Chicago area were also invited to attend and participate in the 

exposition. 

11
TOOLS, PUBLICATIONS, AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE 

A large variety of Best Practice software tools, publications, and other resources are provided to the industry 

by the Aluminum portfolio and its partners. These items promote energy-efficient practices, provide 

information on new technologies, and inform the industry of activities provided by EERE. 

The tools available from the Aluminum portfolio include: 

Vision and Roadmaps: The industry’s unified vision outlines broad goals for the aluminum industry’s future. 

The roadmaps establish the aluminum industry’s R&D priorities, performance targets, and milestones for 

attaining the visions goals. The roadmaps for the Aluminum portfolio are: 

• Aluminum Technology Roadmap (2003) 

• Alumina Technology Roadmap 

• Inert Anode Roadmap 

• Aluminum Automotive Roadmap 

Energy and Environmental Profile of the Aluminum Industry: This report benchmarks the energy and 

environmental characteristics of the key technologies used in the major processes of the aluminum industry. 

U.S. Energy Requirements for Aluminum Production: Historical Perspective, Theoretical Limits, and New 

Opportunities: This report (2003) provides detailed appendices, statistical data, and descriptions of the 

fundamental chemistry, as well as practical aspects of aluminum production processes. It compares current 

usage levels to theoretical minimum energy requirements to demonstrate that large energy-saving 

opportunities exist. 

Inert Anode Report: This American Society of Mechanical Engineers report provides a broad assessment of 

open literature and patents that exist in the area of inert anodes and their related cathode systems and cell 

designs, technologies that are relevant for the advanced smelting of aluminum. The report also discusses the 

opportunities, barriers, and issues associated with these technologies from a technical, environmental, and 

economic viewpoint. 

Efficient Process Heating in the Aluminum Industry: This report (2003) provides suggestions for enhancing 

the energy efficiency of melters and furnaces to cut process-heating costs by 10 to 30 percent. 

To view these documents and applications, please visit: http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/aluminum/ 

analysis.html 

Fact Sheets 

ITP’s Aluminum portfolio disseminates information on current and past projects through project fact sheets. 

The information provided in each fact sheet includes the objective, accomplishments, benefits, principal 

investigator, and project partners. All aluminum fact sheets are available on-line at: http:// 

www.eere.energy.gov/industry/aluminum/portfolio.html. 

12
HOW TO GET INVOLVED AND CONTACT INFORMATION 

Partnership Information 

Public-private partnerships are the foundation of ITP’s technology delivery strategy. ITP includes its partners 

in every phase of the technology development process to focus scarce resources where they can have the 

greatest impact on industrial energy efficiency. To learn more, please visit our Web site at http:// 

www.eere.energy.gov/industry. 

•	 Collaborative, cost-shared research and development projects are a central part of ITP’s strategy. 

Annual solicitations provide technology development opportunities in a variety of energy-intensive 

industries. 

•	 Industries of the Future partnerships increase energy efficiency in the most energy-intensive 

industries. In addition to cost-shared research and development projects, industry partners participate in 

the development of vision and roadmap documents that define long-term goals, technology challenges, 

and research priorities. 

•	 Allied Partnerships provide an opportunity for ITP to reach a broad audience of potential customers by 

allying with corporations, trade associations, equipment manufacturers, utilities, and other stakeholders 

to distribute industrial energy efficiency products and services. By becoming an Allied Partner, an 

organization can increase its value to clients by helping them achieve plant efficiencies. 

•	 State energy organizations work with ITP in applying technology to assist their local industries. ITP 

assists states in developing partnerships to mobilize local industries and other stakeholders to 

improve energy efficiency through best practices, energy assessments, and collaborative research and 

development. 

•	 EERE’s technical programs (ITP is one of 11) give manufacturers access to a diverse 

portfolio of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and bring advanced manufacturing 

technology to the renewable energy community. For more information, access the EERE home page at 

http://www.eere.energy.gov. 

•	 The President’s Climate VISION (Voluntary Innovative Sector Initiatives: Opportunities Now) effort also 

offers opportunities for manufacturers to pursue cost-effective actions that will reduce greenhouse gas 

emissions. See www.climatevision.gov for details. 

Access to Resources and Expertise 

The Industrial Technologies Program provides manufacturers with a wide variety of industrial energy 

efficiency resources to help your company reduce energy expending right away. Visit our Web site at: http:// 

www.eere.energy.gov/industry or call the EERE Information Center at 877-337-3463 to access these resources 

and to get more information. 

•	 ITP offers energy management best practices to improve energy efficiency throughout plant 

operations. Improvements to industrial systems such as compressed air, motors, process heat, and steam 

can yield enormous savings with little or no capital investment. 

•	 Our suite of powerful system optimization software tools can help plants identify and analyze energysaving opportunities in a variety of systems. 

•	 Training sessions are held several times per year at sites across the country for companies interested in 

implementing energy-saving projects in their facilities. DOE software tools are used as part of the 

training sessions. 

13
•	 ITP’s qualified industrial energy specialists will work with your plant personnel to identify savings 

opportunities and train staff in the use of ITP software tools. 

•	 Our extensive library of publications gives companies the resources they need to achieve immediate 

energy savings. 

•	 Plant-wide energy assessments are available to manufacturers of all sizes interested in cutting their 

energy use. Cost-shared solicitations are available each year for plant-wide energy assessments. In 

addition, no-cost, targeted assessments are provided to eligible facilities by teams of engineering faculty 

and students from 26 university-based Industrial Assessment Centers around the country. 

•	 The DOE Regional Offices provide a nationwide network of capabilities for implementing ITP’s 

technology delivery strategy. Regional Offices are located in the Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Central, 

Mid-Atlantic, and Western regions. Visit http://www.eere.energy.gov/rso.html for more information. 

Where to Go to Get More Information 

Visit our Web site: http://www.eere.energy.gov/industry/aluminum 

Learn about all EERE programs: http://www.eere.energy.gov 

EERE Information Center answers questions on EERE’s products, services and 11 technology programs, refers 

callers to the most appropriate EERE resources, and refers qualified callers to the appropriate expert networks. 

You may contact the EERE Information Center by calling 1-877-EERE-INF (1-877-337-3463) or by completing 

the form at this site: http://www.eere.energy.gov/informationcenter. A customer service specialist or energy 

expert at the EERE Information Center will respond to your inquiry. 

For print copies of DOE, EERE and ITP Publications, contact the


Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Center


P.O. Box 43165


Olympia, WA 98504-3165


http://www.eere.energy.gov/informationcenter/


For questions regarding Aluminum portfolio activities, contact: 

Charles Sorrell


Industrial Technologies Program


Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


U.S. Department of Energy


1000 Independence Avenue SW


Washington, DC 20585-0121


Phone: 202-586-1514


Fax: 202-586-7114


E-mail: charles.sorrell@ee.doe.gov


14
A Strong Energy Portfolio for a Strong America 

Energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy will mean a stronger economy, a cleaner environment, and great energy 

independence for America. By investing in technology breakthroughs today, our nation can look forward to a more 

resilient economy and secure future. 

Far-reaching technology changes will be essential to America’s energy future. Working with a wide array of state, 

community, industry, and university partners, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy invests in a portfolio of energy technologies that will: 

• Conserve energy in the residential, commercial, industrial, government, and transportation sectors 

• Increase and diversify energy supply, with a focus on renewable domestic sources 

• Upgrade our national energy infrastructure 

• Facilitate the emergence of hydrogen technologies as a vital new “energy carrier” 

The Opportunities 

Biomass Program 

Using domestic, plant-derived resources to meet our fuel, power, and chemical needs 

Building Technologies Program 

Homes, schools, and businesses that use less energy, cost less to operate, and ultimately, generate as much power as 

they use 

Distributed Energy & Electric Reliability Program 

A more reliable energy infrastructure and reduced need for new power plants 

Federal Energy Management Program 

Leading by example, saving energy and taxpayer dollars in federal facilities 

FreedomCAR & Vehicle Technologies Program 

Less dependence on foreign oil, and eventual transition to an emissions-free, petroleum-free vehicle 

Geothermal Technologies Program 

Tapping the Earth’s energy to meet our heat and power needs 

Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies Program 

Paving the way toward a hydrogen economy and net-zero carbon energy future 

Industrial Technologies Program 

Boosting the productivity and competitiveness of U.S. industry through improvements in energy and environmental 

performance 

Solar Energy Technology Program 

Utilizing the sun’s natural energy to generate electricity and provide water and space heating 

Weatherization & Intergovernmental Program 

Accelerating the use of today’s best energy-efficient and renewable technologies in homes, communities, and 

business 

Wind & Hydropower Technologies Program 

Harnessing America’s abundant natural resources for clean power generation 

To learn more, visit www.eere.energy.gov 

Aluminum Industry of the Future 

Industrial Technologies Program 

Boosting the productivity and competitiveness of U.S. industry 

published February 2005