Energy Efficiency and GHG Emissions: Prospective Scenarios for the Aluminium Industry

This study examines the possibilities for energy efficiency and GHG emission improvements in the European aluminium industry. The first part of the study presents the status quo of the industry in the EU28 and Iceland by compiling a database of existing plants with their production characteristics and the best available and innovative technologies (BATs/ITs). A model EU is then developed to simulate the trend in each plant towards 2050. The use of the model in different scenarios allows the analysis of the cost-effectiveness of investments in BATs/ITs. The results show that in absolute terms, for the whole industry the energy consumption and direct GHG emissions can decrease from 2010 to 2050 by 21% and 66%, respectively. And, in almost all scenarios, for the primary aluminium production there is a convergence in the reduction of specific energy consumption and direct GHG emissions of 23% and 72%, respectively. Since most of the savings come from technologies that are in early stages of research, there is a clear need of a decided push and of creating the right conditions to make these potential savings happen.JRC.F.6-Energy Technology Policy Outloo

The European Carbon Market in Action: Lessons from the First Trading Period Interim Report

Abstract and PDF report are also available on the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change website (http://globalchange.mit.edu/).The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is the largest greenhouse gas market ever established. The European Union is leading the world's first effort to mobilize market forces to tackle climate change. A precise analysis of the EU ETS's performance is essential to its success, as well as to that of future trading programs. The research program "The European Carbon Market in Action: Lessons from the First Trading Period," aims to provide such an analysis. It was launched at the end of 2006 by an international team led by Frank Convery, Christian De Perthuis and Denny Ellerman. This interim report presents the researchers' findings to date. It was prepared after the research program's second workshop, held in Washington DC in January 2008. The first workshop was held in Paris in April 2007. Two additional workshops will be held in Prague in June 2008 and in Paris in September 2008. The researchers' complete analysis will be published at the beginning of 2009.The research program “The European Carbon Market in Action: Lessons from the First Trading Period” has been made possible thanks to the support of: Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, BlueNext, EDF, Euronext, Orbeo, Suez, Total, Veolia

Chucking buns across the fence? Governmental planning and regeneration projects in the Scottish Highland economy, 1945-82

This thesis investigates the creation, operation and impact of four industrial developments in the Highlands of Scotland in Corpach, Aviemore, Dounreay and Invergordon in the period 1945 to 1982. The thesis is structured as follows: the introduction details the development of economic policy towards the Highlands and Scotland more generally, encompassing a literature survey to provide the necessary background and context of the developments, followed by individual case study analysis of the four developments, followed by a conclusion that assesses the overall themes present in the preceding case studies and introduction. Within the conclusion is a discussion of the regional policy aspect of the four developments, the effect the developments had on the areas in which they were located in terms of population and unemployment change and the political economy and politics of Highland development. The argument developed in the thesis is that the motivations behind the four industrial projects detailed in the case studies were more complex than the publicly and privately stated justification for creating and establishing the developments that they would act as growth centres and attract further industries to the areas in which they were located. The thesis posits that developments in the Highlands only took place as a consequence of Scottish Office actions ‘winning’ large industrial projects for the area and only when Scottish Office policy aims converged with UK national economic and political interests. Consequently, short-term political goals usurped effective long-term economic development, resulting in a lack of infrastructural development that severely hindered the stated aims and justification of each development acting as a growth centre. Further, the argument is made that as a result of these short-term political goals, a policy of grand gestures of large-scale industrial developments that were inappropriate for the areas in which they were located was pursued, resulting in the eventual closure of all but the Aviemore complex. In short, the thesis is about the implementation failure of large-scale industry in the Highlands, post-1945

A review of subsidy and carbon price approaches to greenhouse gas emission reduction

The Climate Institute requested SKM MMA and Centre of Policy Studies (CoPS) to undertake an assessment of alternative policy options to achieve a given carbon emission target in Australia. The focus of the study was to compare outcomes under a suite of subsidy based policies to the outcomes under an emission trading scheme. The outcomes of the study are presented in this report.There are several market based approaches that could be used to achieve a carbon emission target. Which approach is more or less effective in achieving the target will depend on any restriction placed on the measure, the ability of each approach to manage the uncertainties on the cost and future scale of abating carbon emissions, the long term behavioural signals provided and the relative impacts on the broader economy.In principle, a subsidy scheme, such as the proposed Emission Reduction Fund (ERF), could achieve the same level of abatement at a similar cost to an emission trading scheme provided the sectoral coverage was the same and the eligible abatement options were the same. Any difference in effectiveness and cost may be due to other factors such as a limit on the budget available to be spent through the subsidy scheme and differences in sectoral coverage. Whether projects receiving funding under the subsidy scheme will proceed or go under either before they are built or after a few years of operation, as has happened under other subsidy scheme, is also important to the effectiveness of the scheme.SKM MMA used a marginal abatement cost approach to assess the options chosen under the subsidy fund. The approach was used to assess a range of emissions abatement opportunities in a range of sectors covering energy, transport, agriculture and land use change, industrial processes, fugitive emissions, and waste. The approach involved the assessment of the cost and potential emission abatement of the eligible options. The assumption was that the lowest cost combination of options is selected under the fund to meet the abatement cap up to any budget or other declared constraints. Only options that are additional (i.e. would not have proceeded in absence of the fund or carbon abatement incentive) were considered.The estimated level of abatement by options and their cost are input into CoPS’s Monash Multi Regional Forecasting Model (MMRF)to determine broader economic impacts.This report outlines the assumptions and method used and discusses the result of the modelling. Limitations and uncertainties in the approach are also outlined. The focus of the analysis was on potential impacts – there is no discussion on which approach is more efficient

Navigating the energy transition and industrial decarbonisation:Ghana's latest bid to develop an integrated bauxite-to-aluminium industry

Research on how countries are positioning and ‘greening’ their heavy industries in response to the ‘global energy transition’ has focused on higher-income countries with established heavy industries, rather than lower-income countries with fledgling industries and aspirations to continue expanding them. Our paper responds to this lacuna by examining Ghana's current plans for, and challenges with, developing an integrated bauxite-to-aluminium industry. Adopting a multiscalar political economy approach, and drawing on research methods including documentary analysis and key informant interviews, we argue that Ghana's challenges stem significantly from the mode of its insertion – or subordination – within the global economy. Like other late-developing countries in the global economic periphery, Ghana is struggling to access the latest ‘green’ technologies or devise a strategy for powering its bauxite-to-aluminium industry because of uncertainties in the ‘green’ taxonomies of core economies in the Global North. Nationally, meanwhile, tentative plans to feed Ghana's aluminium industry with relatively ‘green’ hydropower (also Ghana's cheapest electricity source) are provoking pushback because of the trade-offs involved, while other contestations are emerging around expanding bauxite mining into forest reserves. Collectively, these multiscalar challenges may frustrate Ghana's ambitions once more, even though a bauxite-to-aluminium industry could generate significant economic benefits. Ghana's government can overcome some of these issues by consulting meaningfully with domestic stakeholders around the design of an integrated bauxite-to-aluminium industry. However, at an international level, peripheral economies like Ghana need clarity about how particular energy technologies will be classified by core economies moving forwards, and for climate financing and (green) technology transfer pledges to be honoured.</p

Navigating the energy transition and industrial decarbonisation : Ghana's latest bid to develop an integrated bauxite-to-aluminium industry

Acknowledgements This work was supported by a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship held by Matthew Tyce [PF20\100105].Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The role of projects in shaping businesses capabilities and structure since the 1960s

Project studies have emerged as a thriving subfield of management and organisation research. Central to project studies, is the idea that engaging in projects has long-term effects on businesses capabilities and structure. While understanding organisational change has been central to business history’s mission, historians have paid little attention to the role projects play in shaping organisations. We address this gap. Based on three cases, we analyse why and how businesses in different contexts increased their engagement with projects, whether their engagement was part of a conscious strategy, and how it affected their structure and capabilities. The article contributes to business history by showing how concepts developed in project studies cast new light on projects as a historical phenomenon and provides a valuable theoretical framework for explaining organisational change. Based on this, we suggest projects constitute a fruitful avenue for further historical research and interdisciplinary dialogue with management and organisation research.publishedVersio

Enhancing the application of the Environmental Management System (EMS) in the UAE aluminium industry

Aluminium is widely used in all UAE construction related projects. However, the sustainability and the environmental performance of the aluminium production process is questionable. The production of this metal is associated with many environmental impacts, such as intensive energy consumption, emission of greenhouse gases, and generation of waste, which impacts the sustainable production of aluminium. One of the sustainable solutions is to create a sustainable metal whilst also making a positive net impact on the environment over the life cycle of aluminium products. Environment Management System (EMS) is proposed as an effective tool to control environmental impacts and improve the environmental performance of UAE upstream aluminium production industry. The question that this study tries to answer is how to effectively implement the EMS in order to control and manage the environmental and sustainability aspects of the UAE aluminium industry. This study reveals several gaps in the implementation of the EMS in the UAE aluminium industry such as inconsistent leadership commitment, weak communication, and poor environmental training quality. The aim of this study is to propose a framework for enhancing the implementation of the EMS in UAE aluminium industry. Firstly, the aim is achieved through conducting a questionnaire to identify external and internal factors affecting the implementation of EMS and diagnose its current status. Secondly, a case study is formulated to verify the findings obtained through the questionnaire by collecting on-site observations and conducting interviews of management and operational staff. Thirdly, a framework for effective implementation of EMS in UAE aluminium industry is proposed based on the elements found during the questionnaire and the case study stages. Finally, a robust qualitative and quantitative validation process of the proposed framework is conducted to achieve the final EMS framework output. The proposed EMS framework for UAE aluminium industry is envisaged to be mandatory for the industry and it includes human, organizational and systemic aspects. In addition, it tackles legal framework gaps identified in the UAE aluminium industry and prescribes an enhanced implementation process of the EMS in the UAE aluminium industry. This study contributes to the knowledge by adding a customized EMS framework for UAE aluminium industry. Further recommendations as a result of this study include cumulatively evaluating the EMS practices for all available aluminium production and recycling stages, testing the framework when implemented in the aluminium industry and linking environmental planning and management outcomes for the aluminium industry. Moreover, it is proposed that a life cycle assessment inventory be created to feed into the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) process gap identified in the UAE aluminium industry