Alcoa to cut energy use at downstream operations

Alcoa said on Tuesday that by 2020 it would reduce energy use at its downstream manufacturing operations in the United States by 25 percent as part of a U.S. Department of Energy program.

The Pittsburgh-based aluminum giant said the U.S. DOE's Save Energy Now Leader program is a national voluntary initiative aimed at reducing energy use at U.S. industrial companies.

Alcoa put all of its U.S. manufacturing locations, other than aluminum smelting, in the program and pledged to reduce energy intensity by 25 percent, using 2005 as a baseline.

The company said its U.S. aluminum smelters have separate energy reduction goals as part of its global effort to improve energy efficiency across the company.

Its downstream manufacturing locations produce a variety of products, including turbine fan blades for jet engines, aluminum can sheet, and an aluminum composite used on the exteriors of commercial buildings.

As part of the plan, DOE will provide companies with access to technical support and expertise to help them become more efficient in their energy use.

The aluminum maker said it expects its partnership with DOE to not only improve its own performance, but will also set energy benchmarks for other companies.

Alcoa said it joined more than 60 other companies already in the energy reduction program. Other recent volunteers are Eastman Chemical Co, Raytheon Corp and Lufkin Industries.