Prysmian Group has partnered with Rio Tinto to develop and evaluate aluminum building wire made using ELYSISโข technology, a process that eliminates direct greenhouse gas emissions during smelting.
The collaboration supports Prysmianโs broader sustainability strategy and advances efforts toward low-carbon material adoption in North American manufacturing.
Prysmian ELYSIS aluminum wire testing underway
The partnership centers on testing ELYSIS aluminum in U.S. wire production. The material, produced through a next-generation smelting process, releases oxygen instead of COโ by using inert anodes rather than traditional carbon-based systems.
Prysmian said the material will initially be used in limited volumes due to current supply constraints. Broader deployment will depend on increased availability and continued validation of performance in industrial applications.
Performance aligns with conventional aluminum
According to company engineers, ELYSIS aluminum performs comparably to conventionally produced material. Testing indicates no meaningful differences in mechanical strength or electrical conductivity, making it suitable for building wire applications.
The material has already been used in sectors such as consumer electronics, packaging and automotive components, demonstrating its viability in demanding environments.
Low-carbon aluminum carries higher initial cost
At present, ELYSIS aluminum is more expensive than standard aluminum due to its early-stage production and limited scale. Prysmian noted that the higher cost reflects both the low-carbon benefits of the process and ongoing investment in sustainable material technologies.
Despite the cost premium, the process offers a significantly reduced direct carbon footprint, along with potential operational advantages tied to long-life, non-consumable anodes.
Partnership expands beyond supply agreement
The initiative builds on a 2023 five-year supply agreement between Prysmian and Rio Tinto for low-carbon aluminum produced using renewable hydropower in Canada.
The companies are now extending their collaboration into joint research and development focused on circularity, traceability and recyclability of metals used in wire and cable production.
โOur partnership with Rio Tinto is one based on shared responsibility,โ said Laura Colli, Prysmianโs Group Purchasing Officer. โWe are combining innovation and sustainability to develop new solutions for our customers.โ
Early adoption supports decarbonization goals
While large-scale implementation of ELYSIS technology remains several years away, Prysmianโs early testing positions it among the first global cable manufacturers exploring zero direct-emission aluminum for wire production.
The effort represents a potential milestone in reducing the carbon footprint of the wire and cable industry, while supporting Prysmianโs target of achieving net zero emissions by 2035.
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