Prysmian and Rio Tinto Announce First Electrical Cables Made with ELYSIS® Technology Contracted for Installation at Amazon Data Center

Prysmian, the leading provider of solutions for energy and digital connections based in the Cincinnati, Ohio, metropolitan area, in partnership with Rio Tinto, is pleased to announce a collaboration with Amazon in which electrical cables produced with ELYSIS® aluminum have been contracted for installation in an Amazon data center near Columbus, Ohio. This represents the first known use of inert-anode-smelted, low-carbon aluminum in a data center.

ELYSIS® is used to produce aluminum with no direct greenhouse gas emissions from the aluminum smelting process, instead producing oxygen. This represents a major breakthrough in the decarbonization of aluminum production.

As part of their ongoing ambition to accelerate sustainability across their global footprint, Prysmian and Rio Tinto announced the introduction of aluminum produced with the ELYSIS® technology in building wire in March 2026. 

Joern Tinnemeyer, VP of Data Center Engineering at Amazon Web Services (AWS): “We aim to reach net-zero emissions across our operations by 2040 through decarbonizing our operations and supply chain, down to the raw materials. Traditionally, making aluminum is carbon-intensive, but this wire was made with technology that emits oxygen instead of carbon dioxide and perfluorocarbons. Prysmian, Rio Tinto, and Wesco are showing that lower-carbon materials aren't a future concept – they're here and going into Amazon data centers today.” 

Srinivas Siripurapu, Chief Sustainability, R&D, and Innovation Officer for Prysmian: “The data center industry needs advanced technologies like this: cables that can effectively carry power, meet high-quality standards, and make a positive impact to the sustainability of the entire value chain. We have partnered with organizations that share our mission for sustainability-driven innovation, from Rio Tinto’s supply of low-carbon aluminum to the delivery of product through our partnership with Wesco, and ultimately Amazon’s final product.” 

The ELYSIS® produced aluminum electrical cables are created and shipped directly out of Prysmian’s Sedalia, Missouri factory – reaffirming the company’s commitment to manufacturing innovative wire and cabling solutions right here in America and working with distribution partners to deliver to job sites around the region.

David Speidelsbach, Vice President, Sales and Strategic Initiatives at Wesco: "Data center customers are increasingly looking for solutions that help them meet aggressive growth targets while advancing their sustainability objectives. TThis project demonstrates what is possible when manufacturers, distributors and end users work together to accelerate innovation. Through sustainable supply chain solutions that help reduce material waste and support circularity, we're proud to collaborate with Prysmian and Amazon to help bring more sustainable infrastructure solutions to one of the world's fastest-growing industries." 

Prysmian continues to seek ways to invest in sustainability-focused initiatives and create innovative solutions in partnership with its customers to become Net Zero by 2035, including a focus on further reducing the company’s carbon footprint throughout the value chain.

As part of this journey, Prysmian has committed to creating innovative solutions in partnership with customers and suppliers across the value chain – including Amazon and Rio Tinto – with a target of 55% of revenues from sustainability-linked solutions by 2028.

Matt Schicke, Rio Tinto Aluminum Vice President, Sales and Marketing: “This collaboration with Prysmian and Amazon demonstrates how innovation across the value chain can help deliver practical, lower-carbon solutions for customers. All of the aluminum supplied by Rio Tinto for these cables was produced in Quebec, Canada, using hydropower, including the aluminum made with ELYSIS® inert anode technology. By combining renewable power with a breakthrough smelting process that eliminates direct greenhouse gas emissions and produces oxygen as a by-product, we are helping create a new pathway to support the decarbonization of critical data center infrastructure.”

To learn more about Prysmian’s innovative and sustainable solutions, visit na.prysmian.com.