Prysmian and Rio Tinto Partner on Low-Carbon Cables
Amazon will deploy aluminum electrical cables produced via inert-anode technology in an Ohio data center project.
Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Data Centers
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Prysmian has announced a partnership with Rio Tinto to supply electrical cables manufactured from low-carbon aluminum. These materials are slated for use in an Amazon data center located in Ohio.
Why it matters
The adoption of low-carbon aluminum components allows major infrastructure operators to integrate more sustainable materials into the power-dense environments of modern data centers. This partnership reflects a broader industrial effort to minimize the direct carbon footprint associated with large-scale facility construction.
The cables utilize aluminum produced through ELYSIS inert-anode technology, which replaces traditional smelting methods. This process releases oxygen as a byproduct rather than the greenhouse gases typically emitted during standard electrolysis.
The players
Prysmian
An Italian multinational corporation that specializes in the production of electrical and telecommunications cables and systems for infrastructure and energy.
Rio Tinto
A global mining and metals group that develops material technologies, including the ELYSIS smelting process for aluminum production.
Amazon
A global technology company that maintains an extensive cloud computing division and builds high-power data center infrastructure.
The details
ELYSIS inert-anode technology is a smelting process that replaces the carbon anodes traditionally used in aluminum production with proprietary inert materials. By using these non-reactive components, the chemical reaction during electrolysis produces only oxygen, effectively eliminating the direct greenhouse gas emissions otherwise generated during the smelting phase. The resulting aluminum is then manufactured by Prysmian into electrical cables engineered for the high-demand power infrastructure required by data centers.
Timeline
September 18, 2026: Prysmian announced the partnership with Rio Tinto.
The Tech Race
The adoption of ELYSIS inert-anode technology marks a critical shift in how aluminum is sourced for utility-scale power infrastructure. This move moves the technology from pilot-stage trials into the supply chains of large-scale, mission-critical data center developments.
This integration introduces lower-emission materials into the physical power grids supporting major cloud platforms in Ohio. While this change is currently isolated to new data center construction, it sets a precedent for material procurement standards in future regional infrastructure projects.
The takeaway
The move toward low-carbon aluminum signifies a trend where hyperscale data center operators prioritize the embodied carbon of their physical infrastructure. Observers should monitor future project announcements to see if this partnership establishes a new procurement benchmark for major facility builds.
Further reading
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Should major technology companies prioritize low-carbon materials when building new data center infrastructure?
