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I live 20min from the largest aluminium smelter in Oz. :) It's the largest energy consumer in the state and every time there's fears about electricity blackouts
by photojosh 8y ago
I live 20min from the largest aluminium smelter in Oz. :) It's the largest energy consumer in the state and every time there's fears about electricity blackouts they make the news because of the worry about their potlines getting killed.
We're also a bit LNG exporter... so I'm curious, as what you're saying they're doing in the gulf should apply here too. When they use LNG for smelting, are they using it to generate electricity or burning it direct for heating?
- dwd 8y agoWhat I never understood was why they didn't tap into Portland's geothermals for a ready source of steam to run a local electricity generating turbine. These days they would have to be worried about a bushfire hitting Loy Yang. It was a close call in 2009 when they could have lost the mine and plant. There's a gas powerstation at Mortlake and talks of building another for Alcoa as it could feed straight off the Otway Basin gas fields. I see a few wind farms have popped up, no doubt due to the areas reputation for being constantly windy.
- mchannon 8y agoGotta watch the "L". Gulf Alumino-states take natural gas and generate captive electricity without a liquefaction step. There's an equivalent amount of electrical energy to make an aluminum can as a gallon of gasoline (err.. 4L of petrol?).
- photojosh 8y agoGotcha! That makes sense, thanks.