One relevant consideration is that e.g. aluminum manufacturing, while energy-intensive, is also renewable-friendly. That is, suppose you have a gigawatt of sola

One relevant consideration is that e.g. aluminum manufacturing, while energy-intensive, is also renewable-friendly. That is, suppose you have a gigawatt of solar panels. You can't use them for lighting at night without also supplying storage. But aluminum smelting can just run when the sun shines, and can be located wherever the sun is most available. Or put another way, aluminum is a good form in which to store renewable energy.