Novelis Tests Industrial-Scale Use of Hydrogen in Aluminum-Recycling Furnace
February 28, 2025Comments
Aluminum producer Novelis Inc. has successfully tested using hydrogen fuel to power a recycling furnace at its UK plant in Latchford, Warrington. The tests were carried out as part of a UK-government decarbonization program and in collaboration with Progressive Energy, an independent UK energy company. Novelis installed new burners, regenerators and furnace-lining material at the facility.
Using hydrogen instead of the same amount of natural gas when operating a melting furnace can reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 90%, the company says. "Exploring renewable-energy sources such as hydrogen, making first-mover investments, and reducing energy intensity are part of our vision to advance aluminum as the material of choice with circular solutions," says Emilio Braghi, executive vice president, Novelis Inc., and president of Novelis Europe. "
During testing, Novelis remelted several hundred tons of 3000-series scrap aluminum alloy and recast the material into sheet ingots. Further downstream processing, including rolling and finishing, will be completed at other Novelis plants in Europe to establish the real “end-to-end” parameters of a hydrogen-based, recycled-alloy production process. Following the full post-trial evaluation and assessments, Novelis will, later this year, release a report as part of the UK government's Industrial Fuel Switching program.
See also: Novelis Inc
Technologies: Materials
