BMW Group to source aluminium produced using solar energy.

The BMW Group has announced it will begin sourcing aluminium produced using solar electricity.

Marking an important milestone on the road to BMW Group’s goal of lowering CO2 emissions in its supplier network by 20% by 2030, it will begin to source aluminium that is produced using solar energy.

Producing aluminium is a highly energy-intensive process, so by using green power there is a considerable potential for reducing CO2 emissions. BMW Group say it plans to continue sourcing aluminium produced with green power in the long termenabling a reduction of approximately 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 over the next ten years.

“We aspire to lead the way in sustainability and implement our sustainability goals in a systematic manner. We will be able to meet over 50% of our CO2 targets for the supplier network, just by using green power.” Said Dr Andreas Wendt, member of the Board of Management at BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network.

As the trend towards e-mobility rises, aluminium will become increasingly important as a lightweight material, that can partially offset the heavy weight of the batteries in the electrified vehicle. However the production of aluminium can be very energy-intensive, therefore BMW Group say it is taking the logical step of sourcing aluminium produced with solar electricity, an effective lever for reducing CO2 emissions associated with aluminium smelting.

The aluminium produced by solar power is processed in the light metal foundry at BMW Group Plant Landshut, in which it will meet almost half of the annual requirements of its triple-digit million euro contract with Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), to supply 43,000 tonnes of aluminium in 2021.

Already having a long-standing supply relationship with EGA, The BMW Group will initially be exclusively supplied the aluminium produced by green power. EGA sources the electricity used to produce the aluminium from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in the desert outside of Dubai, which is set to become the world’s largest solar park.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of EGA, said “We are delighted to have the BMW Group as our first customer for low-carbon CelestiAL aluminium from EGA. Aluminium is light, strong and infinitely recyclable. That is why it plays such an important role in the development of a more sustainable society and in making modern life possible. But how sustainably the aluminium is produced is also important. Solar aluminium is a step in the right direction – it uses a natural and abundant source of energy in our desert environment to produce a metal that is vital to the future of our planet.”

Find out more here.

5 February 2021

Climate Action