Hydro’s Alunorte Refinery Achieves 1.4 Million-Tonne Annual Emissions Reduction Through Gas, Electric Boilers, and Renewables

Alunorte has an expected annual natural gas consumption of 29.5 Tbtu. The fuel switch project is a key step in Hydro’s climate strategy and global commitment to reduce Hydro’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030.

(IN BRIEF) Hydro’s Alunorte refinery in Pará has spent BRL 1.3 billion to switch from fuel oil to natural gas—via an FSRU at Barcarena—across its steam and calciner units, cutting 700,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. This initiative underpins Hydro’s broader aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050. Alongside three electric boilers replacing coal, and the procurement of 1,000 MW from new solar and wind parks, Alunorte now slashes 1.4 million tonnes of carbon yearly versus 2017 levels. John Thuestad of Hydro lauds the project as a model of financial, technological, and operational commitment to decarbonization.

(PRESS RELEASE) OSLO, 19-Jun-2025 — /EuropaWire/ —  Norsk Hydro ASA (OTCMKTS: NHYDY), a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company committed to a sustainable future, announces that its Alunorte alumina refinery in Pará, Brazil, has invested BRL 1.3 billion to eliminate approximately 700,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. Over the past year, the plant has fully transitioned from fuel oil to natural gas across six steam generators and seven calciners, successfully meeting its annual emissions-reduction target.

The refinery now consumes an estimated 29.5 Tbtu of natural gas per year, delivered via the Energos Celsius floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) at the Barcarena LNG terminal—operated by New Fortress Energy—which also supplies gas to the wider Pará region. This fuel switch is a cornerstone of Hydro’s pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero carbon by 2050; natural gas emits up to 50 percent fewer GHGs and pollutants than oil or coal.

The floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Energos Celsius is located at the LNG terminal in Barcarena, Brazil. It supplies natural gas to both the state of Pará and the Alunorte alumina refinery.

“Becoming a global benchmark in decarbonization demands financial investment, technological innovation, and unwavering commitment,” said John Thuestad, Executive VP of Hydro’s Bauxite & Alumina division. “Our work at Alunorte exemplifies how serious dedication can transform operations on the path to net-zero.”

Alunorte already ranks among the world’s top 10 percent of low-emission refineries. In addition to the natural-gas conversion, the site has installed three electric boilers—one in 2022 and two in 2025—replacing coal and cutting up to 550,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually. To power these boilers and other processes, Hydro is investing in the Mendubim solar park (Rio Grande do Norte) and the Ventos de São Zacarias wind complex (Pernambuco/Piauí border), which together generate around 1,000 MW of renewable energy—over half of which is consumed onsite.

Collectively, these measures—natural gas, electric boilers, and energy-efficiency upgrades—reduce Alunorte’s carbon footprint by 1.4 million tonnes per year compared to its 2017 baseline.

About Alunorte

Media contact:

Anders Vindegg
Head of Media Relations, Group Communication
anders.vindegg@hydro.com
+47 93864271

SOURCE: Norsk Hydro ASA