The industrial sector, especially in processes requiring high temperatures, such as metal recycling and recycling of metalshas been working to find a path to carbon neutrality. Novelis has demonstrated the feasibility of fuel conversion to hydrogen at its Latchford plant.
A hydrogen fuel conversion project
The test, funded by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, involved adapting an industrial natural gas furnace to run on hydrogen. Over a two-week period, the company’s team confirmed that hydrogen can be delivered and burned safely, while maintaining product quality and performance.
Allan Sweeny, manager of the Latchford plant, said that this achievement is a practical step forward in minimizing the site’s carbon footprint and laying the groundwork for a low-carbon future. The company also achieved major recognition as the first winner of the IEA Hydrogen TCP Award 2025 for innovation in a difficult to decarbonize sector.
Although the trial was a success, full-scale deployment is dependent on the availability of the necessary infrastructure. Novelis has the technical confidence to eliminate up to 45,000 tons of direct CO₂ emissions per year, but full implementation of the project is subject to connection to the hydrogen network HyNetnetwork, scheduled for 2031.
Moreover, the company is doubling its used beverage can recycling capacity in Latchford with a $90 million investment, an expansion that will minimize Novelis Europe’s emissions by more than 350,000 tons per year.
Source and photo: Novelis
