Download center Contact us Global site About aluminium Products Our future Investor relations Careers Press room About Hydro Home Products Energy Hydropower and aluminium Hydropower and aluminium Bauxite and alumina Energy Our power plants Buying and selling of power Hydropower and the environment Hydropower and aluminium Facts about hydropower From water to power Casthouse products Rolled products Extruded solutions Industries we serve All products Low-carbon aluminium Commercial services Find your sales contacts Our value chain Ever since Hydro started producing aluminium in 1963, hydropower has been a critical part of the process. You could almost say that hydropower was the reason why aluminium production could start up at all. Hydro's first aluminium plant was established in Karmøy in 1963. We got power for the plant from the development of the Røldal-Suldal water system, which was constructed specifically to provide electricity to the aluminium smelter. Today there is a new research center at Hydro Karmøy, and the plant has meant a lot to both population growth and development of the community at large. Hydropower + aluminium = success The plant in Karmøy is a typical example of how hydropower and aluminium production has been a successful partnership throughout Hydro's history. Without Norway's unique hydropower history we could not have become one of the world's top aluminium nations. Historically, aluminium smelters have been built near power plants to avoid energy loss. In the 1960s, however, new technology became available to transport energy over longer distances. So for example we could locate an aluminium plant in Karmøy even though the power source is further inland. Being able to produce aluminium with clean energy is unique for Norway and one of the clear advantages of producing it right here. Energy intensive production Aluminium production is very energy intensive, meaning that a lot of electricity is used to produce the metal. So it is a great advantage to have enough energy resources available, and even better if they are reliable and climate friendly like hydropower. When aluminium is produced using environmentally friendly hydropower, like in Norway, the CO2 emissions per tonne of aluminium are only one-fifth of those from a smelter operated with electricity from coal power plants, as is common for example in China. Fifth largest in the world Norway is the world's fifth largest producer of aluminium, and as much as 80-90% of the aluminium we produce is exported to the rest of the world. The excellent supply of hydropower we have in Norway has thus helped to make Hydro one of the world's major producers of aluminium.. Hydropower - "Norway's white coal" - and aluminium production have also helped to transform many villages into modern industrial communities with jobs linked to Hydro's business operations.. Updated: October 3, 2016 About Hydro Hydro worldwide The Hydro Way Our history Corporate governance UK Modern Slavery Act Contact Contact us Sales contacts Media contacts Investor relations contacts External links Renew by Hydro Hydro Service Portal Extruded solutions Shapes Follow us Facebook Flickr LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Twitter Facebook (Shapes) Instagram (Shapes) Twitter (Shapes) Privacy Terms and conditions Accessibility Sitemap © 2018 Norsk Hydro ASA We use cookies to provide the best possible experience for you. By closing this message you agree to our use of cookies. To learn more about how we handle and process the personal data we collect on this website, please see our Privacy policy.