Novelis has made a breakthrough in industrial decarbonisation, having successfully tested the use of hydrogen as a fuel in an industrial-scale recycling furnace at its plant in Latchford, UK.
Emission-free aluminium production
In collaboration with Progressive Energy and with the support of the UK government, Novelis has developed a test programme to assess the viability of hydrogen in its aluminium recycling processes. The implementation of specific burners and coatings allowed hydrogen to be mixed with natural gas at rates of up to 100%, achieving a reduction in CO₂ emissions of up to 90% compared to conventional natural gas.
Novelis Executive Vice President and President of Novelis Europe, Emilio Braghi, stressed that this project is part of the company’s “Vision 3×30” strategy, which seeks to increase the recycled content of its products and reduce its carbon footprint.
The tests carried out included the remelting of hundreds of tonnes of 3000 series aluminium scrap, with extensive monitoring of operating conditions and the impact of hydrogen on the quality of the final product. The data obtained will allow Novelis to determine the optimal parameters for sustainable, large-scale production.
Following this testing phase, additional processes will be carried out at other European plants of the company to evaluate the performance of hydrogen-recycled aluminium in different industrial applications. A final report with the findings will be published as part of the UK-led industrial fuel switching programme.
The use of hydrogen is not common in the aluminium industry today and we are very proud to be one of the pioneers in testing this new fuel on an industrial scale and in a real environment.
Allan Sweeney, Plant Manager, Novelis Latchford.
This project is part of the UK’s HyNet programme, which seeks to decarbonise industry through the use of hydrogen and carbon capture technologies. Novelis, which has been a HyNet partner since 2017, continues to explore alternative solutions such as electrification and the use of plasma to further reduce its environmental impact.
In addition, the company has announced a $90 million investment to double its aluminium can recycling capacity at Latchford, which will reduce its emissions by more than 350,000 tonnes per year. With this approach, Novelis is advancing its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 or sooner.
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Source and photos: Novelis
