OREANDA-NEWS. UC RUSAL (SEHK: 486; Euronext: RUSAL/RUAL; Moscow Exchange: RUALR/RUALRS), the world’s largest aluminium producer, announces the next step in Aughinish alumina refinery’s modernisation programme, which will include the shift of steam production from heavy oil to gas as its main energy source. The change of oil-fired boilers to gas-powered steam generators will reduce carbon emissions by 5%, particulate pollutants by 33%, nitrogen oxide by 38% and eliminate all sulfur oxide emissions. RUSAL is to invest approximately EUR 15 million in the project which is to pay off in less than a year.

The Aughinish refinery is based in Ireland and uses two gas-turbine power units and three oil-fired boilers. The rationale for gas-powered steam production includes the economic effect from low-cost gas supplies and the significant reduction of the environmental impact.

Foster Wheeler AG, global engineering and construction company and power equipment supplier, will design and supply the package steam generators including auxiliary equipment to be installed at the refinery at the beginning of 2014. The two steam generators will be designed to generate a total of 300 tonnes per hour of reliable, high-pressure superheated steam and will completely replace the oil-fired boilers.

This project is part of a large-scale and complex modernisation project carried out at the Aughinish refinery, Europe’s largest alumina producer. In 2012 the refinery saw an increase in its annual production capacity up to 1.99 million tonnes of alumina. In 2011 the refinery launched a new bauxite residue disposal area on the site, scheduled to be complete in 2013. A new bauxite residue storage capacity will cover all the waste management needs until 2030 at an annual production rate of 2 million tonnes.

‘The shift to gas-powered steam production will enable Aughinish to significantly increase its economic and environmental performance, which is of great importance in the current market conditions and in light of the upcoming EU Directive on industrial emissions, scheduled to come to force in 2016. It is a real boost to the refinery's efficiency, which is already one of the highest performing in the industry,’ said Valeriy Matvienko, Director for UC RUSAL Alumina Division.