Energy
Energy is a critical resource for Alcoa due to the energy-intensive nature of our refining and smelting processes.
Securing low-cost and competitively priced energy that has minimal environmental impact is a focal point of our energy strategy. We also work to reduce the amount of energy we consume through operational efficiency and technological advances, which lower our energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Smelters are our largest consumers of electricity, and renewable sources comprised approximately 73 percent of their power consumption in 2019.
Our energy intensity increased by 0.2 percent in 2019 compared to the prior year. Our overall energy consumption increased by 2.4 million gigajoules, or 0.7 percent, in the same period. Key factors behind the increases are the restart of the Becancour smelter and process instability at two locations.
Energy Intensity
2019 Energy by Source
2019 Energy by Source
| Source | Direct | Purchased Electricity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thousands of Gigajoules | Percent | Thousands of Megawatt Hours | Percent | |
| Natural Gas | 106,356 | 58.0 | 4,719 | 11.9 |
| Hydro | 0 | 0.0 | 22,768 | 57.5 |
| Coal | 61,392 | 33.5 | 7,271 | 18.4 |
| Oil | 11,746 | 6.4 | 13 | 0.0 |
| Other Renewables | 107 | 0.1 | 3,001 | 7.6 |
| Diesel | 3,500 | 1.9 | 892 | 2.3 |
| Nuclear | 0 | 0.0 | 951 | 2.4 |
| Propane | 96 | < 0.1 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Distillates | 61 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Local Grid | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 0.0 |
| Total | 183,258 | 100 | 39,618 | 100 |
Learn more in the full 2019 Alcoa Sustainability Report.