In a step that will accelerate its ESG transformation, Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world’s largest Aluminium smelter ex-China, has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries EMEA Ltd. (MHI EMEA), part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, on 19 January 2022 to collaborate on opportunities to reduce Alba’s carbon footprint.
The MoU — first-of-its-kind with an aluminium producer – will lay the foundations to conduct a feasibility study on utilising the technology to capture CO₂ from flue gas, developed by MHI Group in collaboration with Kansai Electric Power Co., to reduce Alba’s plant emissions for decarbonization.
Held at Al Dana Hall, the signing ceremony was attended by Alba’s Chairman of the Board Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa and Kentaro Hosomi – CEO of MHI EMEA, in the presence of Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali and Chief Power Officer Amin Sultan, in addition to senior officials from MHI Group.
Speaking on this occasion, Alba’s Chairman of the Board Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa said:
“Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) matters are fronting everything we do in Alba.
This MoU will play a fundamental role as we want to be accelerators and embed sustainability considerations in our operations to be more environmentally responsible and inclusive.
We are also pleased to partner with MHI Group – a proven leader in Carbon Capture technology – as we chart our journey in our race to decarbonisation.”
The CEO of MHI EMEA, Kentaro Hosomi, added:
“As a market leader in decarbonization technology such as carbon capture, storage and utilisation, MHI Group is proud to support Alba and the Kingdom of Bahrain in reaching their ambitious sustainability goals. It is partnerships such as this that enable industry to move quickly on the way to carbon neutrality.”
As one of the leading industrial companies in Bahrain, Alba’s decarbonisation efforts will play an important role in achieving the Kingdom’s recently-announced Net Zero and Renewable Energy Targets by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain.
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