BP has stood down contractors working on its biofuel plant just weeks before discovering if its adjacent green hydrogen project will win $1 billion of government backing.
Alcoa and South 32's Worsley Alumina mine bauxite in WA's South-West to produce alumina that is exported to aluminium refineries. The industry is energy-intensive with Alcoa's three refineries powered by gas and Worsley using gas and coal from nearby Collie.
Both mining operations in the jarrah forest are facing significant opposition on environmental grounds.
Alcoa will trial technology at its Wagerup alumina refinery to produce steam by renewable-powered compression instead of gas-fired heat that promises a 70% per cent emissions reduction.
If South32’s low profile coal-burning Worsley Alumina operated like Alcoa’s facilities 1.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year would be avoided: the same as Alcoa's Wagerup refinery.
WA's industrial greenhouse gas emissions are dominated by four products and a handful of companies, including a few that have managed to keep a low profile in the climate wars.
No deal with Alcoa has cost Adelaide Brighton 31% of its value and threatened its WA lime business that is warring with its neighbours in suburban Perth.
