India ranks fifth in the world on the basis of bauxite reserves, but per capita consumption is quite low compared to developed countries. The energy consumption for production of aluminium is also quite high. The uses of aluminium are also restricted to within 10 percent of the world use pattern. A careful analysis of the steps of production is thus needed. If the energy associated with Indian aluminium production is properly managed, the industry will be poised for significant growth with the potential for diversification in domestic uses as well as export opportunities in the present era of globalization. The authors have gone into depth on the energy consumption pattern in each stage of aluminium production and put forward measures to mitigate the waste of energy to make aluminium production profitable and globally competitive. This article highlights the achievements that may be made in aluminium production segments with examples of three specific cases.
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