Rio Tinto, Prysmian partner on low-carbon aluminum solutions for data centers

Rio Tinto and Prysmian have partnered on an industrial trial to produce low-carbon aluminum cables designed for the growing data center market. The cables combine leading-edge smelting and cable technologies to help customers reduce the carbon footprint of critical information technology infrastructure, according to a news release issued by Rio Tinto.

According to London-based CRU, the data center sector represented approximately 7 percent of total North American cable demand in 2025 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 17 percent between 2026 and 2030. CRU also maintains that aluminum will account for an increasing share of the data center cable product mix, as operators seek more cost-efficient solutions for power distribution across data center campuses and server rooms.

By combining low-carbon aluminum production with advanced cable manufacturing, Rio Tinto and Prysmian aim to support the data center industry’s growth while helping customers meet their sustainability and performance objectives.

In the trial, Rio Tinto manufactured aluminum rod using a blend of low-carbon aluminum from the company’s hydropowered Alma smelter in Quebec and aluminum produced using the Elysis technology developed jointly by Rio Tinto and Alcoa. Elysis eliminates all direct greenhouse gas emissions from the aluminum smelting process and produces oxygen instead, helping to decarbonize aluminum production.

Photo courtesy of Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto, headquartered in London, says that it signed a five-year supply agreement with Milan-based Prysmian in 2023. Under the agreement, both companies have brought together their respective technologies and research and development capabilities to accelerate the introduction of lower-carbon aluminum solutions across a range of applications, including energy transmission and data centers.

“This partnership with Prysmian demonstrates Rio Tinto’s ability to deliver innovative, low-carbon aluminum solutions tailored to our customers’ needs,” says Rio Tinto Aluminum interim Vice President of Sales and Marketing Matt Schicke. “By combining our low-carbon aluminum portfolio with breakthrough technologies like Elysis, we are aiming to support the decarbonization of key growth markets, including the rapidly expanding data center sector.”

Prysmian Chief Sustainability, R&D and Innovation Officer Srinivas Siripurapu adds, “As we work toward our goal of reaching net zero by 2035, we recognize that our customers, particularly in the data center sector, share similar pledges. We are proud to provide sustainable solutions to customers who align with those values. Partnering with Rio Tinto allows us to leverage our existing supplier relationship and evolve sustainable innovations that benefit not only Prysmian but our customers as well.”