The recycled aluminium made with green hydrogen was produced at Hydro’s recycling operation in Navarra, Spain in June. Since then, the material has undergone extensive testing to confirm it lives up to the requirements for extrusion, fabrication and eventually use in Irizar e-mobility’s electric vehicles. The tests were successful and in early November, Irizar e-mobility placed the first order for aluminium profiles made with the special material. 

“We reached an important milestone with the successful use of green hydrogen to produce recycled aluminium in Navarra. E-mobility is one of our key markets where aluminium profiles contribute with lighter weight and improved safety. Irizar e-mobility is, like Hydro, working towards more sustainable products. They are a perfect partner for us,” says Bruno D’hondt, Senior Vice President of Extrusions Europe.

Recycling of aluminium requires only 5 percent of the energy used in primary aluminium production. By replacing natural gas with carbon-free green hydrogen made from renewable energy, the emissions from the production phase can be removed entirely.

If the input scrap is 100 percent post-consumer aluminium scrap, the result would be zero-carbon aluminium. This is part of Hydro’s roadmap to zero, which consists of three main paths: Recycling, carbon capture and storage, and zero-emission electrolysis.

The project in Navarra was carried out in a collaboration between Hydro’s green hydrogen company Hydro Havrand and Hydro Extrusions. Decarbonization of high heat processes in industry requires innovation because direct electrification is not an option​. Green hydrogen is a very promising alternative to remove the hard-to-abate emissions in these processes.   

The profiles will be used in Irizar e-mobility’s electrical vehicles. One of the vehicles is their “ie tram,” an electric zero-emission bus with the appearance of a tram. This vehicle combines the large capacity, ease of access and internal configuration of a tram with the flexibility of a city bus. Irizar e-mobility is determined to promote the use of efficient, clean and accessible transport that reduces impact on the environment, improves people's well-being and health, and that makes it possible to create better urban environments.

"We are very focused on reducing the carbon footprint of our products and activities, and we need materials that support this. Using recycled aluminium made with green hydrogen in our electric vehicles is a step in the right direction towards cleaner transportation,” says Guillermo-A. Fernández Caballero, Head of Environment at Irizar e-mobility.