A power generation and energy management system modernisation project undertaken by Dubai Aluminium (Dubal) and GE has been rewarded with the top honours in the ‘Best Brownfield Technology’ category of the American Metal Market’s Awards for Aluminium Excellence.

The award was presented to company representatives on 12 June 2012, during the 2nd Annual Aluminium Summit, which was hosted by leading metals publication, American Metal Market, in New York from 11 to 13 June this year.

The 2012 Awards for Aluminium Excellence programme recognizes the most innovative companies in the field across multiple categories, with the adjudication panel featuring leaders in the international aluminium industry. The winning Dubal-GE project comprised a complete overhaul of Dubal’s power management and generation operations, with the aim of securing energy-and cost-savings.

At the outset of the initiative in 2007, power generation accounted for fully one-third of Dubal’s operating costs -a statistic which not uncommon, given the extremely energy-intensive nature of the primary aluminium smelting industry. A substantial reduction in power generation costs was nevertheless vital to sustain the company’s growth trend while enabling it to become more competitive around the world.

By installing GE’s XA-21 SCADA energy management system and upgrading Dubal’s GE Frame 9Band 9E turbines, substantial success has been achieved. For example, power output has increased by 22.69 per cent (an additional 75 MW)” the heat rate has improved by 10.44 per cent (representing an annual savings of $ 4 million in fuel costs) and management of Dubal’s 2,350 MW power station is more efficient (the system availability rate exceeds 98.98 per cent).

“With the price of energy currently at its highest level in the past decade, and set to continue rising, these savings are pivotal to our sustainability strategy of remaining one of the world’s lowest-cost primary aluminium producers,” says Abdulla Kalban (President & CEO: Dubal).

“Moreover, the savings on electricity expenses enabled by the enhancements to our power generation and management translates into a very pleasing three-year recovery of the project costs.

We are thrilled at the success of the project, and delighted at receiving this prestigious award.” With a hot metal production capacity in excess of one million metric tonnes per year, Dubal’s Jebel Ali complex ranks as the world’s largest single-site primary aluminium smelter using pre-baked anode technology.

The complex is also home to extensive casting facilities, a 2,350 MW power station (at 30˚C), a 30 million imperial gallon/day desalination plant, a large carbon plant, port, storage and administration facilities.

Dubal is internationally renowned for its premium purity, high quality products” and exports more than 90 per cent of its annual production to about 50 countries across the globe.

The company, which is widely acknowledged as the UAE’s industrial flagship, places the safety and health of its employees above other priorities. Dubal also owns 50 per cent of Emirates Aluminium (“EMAL”) in Al Taweelah, Abu Dhabi. In addition, Dubal holds shares in upstream development projects.

In addition, Dubal is becoming a respected developer of advanced reduction cell technologies, following more than 25 years of efforts to develop its own smelting technology that can compete with similar technologies in the world market in terms of productivity, capacity and efficiency, while maintaining the highest standards of environmental conservation.

These efforts have culminated most recently in two proprietary technologies: DX Technology, where a demonstration line of 40 pots has operated at Dubal’s Jebel Ali site since February 2008.

The operating amperage has increased from 340 kA to 380 kA, offering several benchmark attributes that provide significant advantages and DX Technology, an advanced version of DX Technology, where five new generation cells built in Dubal’s pilot line have operated stably since August 2010, and the operating amperage has increased from 420 kA to 440 kA.