researchIntro

Research

The research activities of FME ZeMe are where the fundamental knowledge and technologies that contribute to a zero emissions metals industry are developed. They can be grouped into:

Activities that aim to improve energy and process efficiency in the metal industries. Here the work is tailored to specific challenges within the metal industries that are part of FME ZeMe: aluminium, copper, nickel, zinc, ferro alloys, silicon carbide (SiC), and titanium dioxide (TiO₂).
Cross-cutting topics that support the net zero transition across the metal industries. This includes topics such as emissions monitoring, digitalization, carbon capture, and systemic transitions.

Each industry has its own challenges and specific requirements. Therefore, FME ZeMe facilitates joint knowledge development and learning across the different metal industries. This speeds up the transfer from research to industrial practice and supports innovation.

The research activities are divided into 7 research areas (RA). Research areas 1-4 address the specific challenges in the metal industries, while research areas 5-7 address topics that go across the industry.

Diagram showing the shift from fossil carbon to
sustainable metal production using renewable energy, recycling,
and bio-based methods, emphasizing people, planet, and
prosperity.

Figure of FME Zeme's research area structure

workpackages

Research Areas

1: Energy Efficient Electrolysis

Aluminium, copper, nickel, and zinc are produced using electrochemical processes (electrolysis), where electricity is used to enable the chemical reactions to take place.

This research area’s activities focus on improvement of the energy efficiency of the existing processes, reduction of CO₂ and other greenhouse gas emissions, and research on new processes to produce metals.

2: Climate Neutral Reducing Agents

Fossil carbon is used as reduction material in the production of ferroalloys, aluminum, titanium dioxide and pig iron. It is the main contributor to CO₂ emissions from the processing industry in Norway.

The research area’s activities will build fundamental knowledge on the use of alternative reductants such as biocarbon and hydrogen, and linked technologies, to reduce emissions.

3: Facilitating Energy Efficient Carbon Capture

Carbon capture is one of few technologies to reduce the CO₂ emissions and thus climate footprint of metal production, which can be retrofitted to the existing metal production facilities.

The research area’s activities will focus on the adaptation of current processes to enable carbon capture and improve energy and cost efficiency.

4: Circularity and Resource Efficiency

Objective: Reduce the energy consumption, increase the material efficiency, as well as decrease the amount of waste from the metallurgical industry. The barriers for this are primarily of technological and/or economic nature.

Several of the new process routes suggested in the metallurgical industry will have different requirements for raw materials and will produce new side streams.

5: Modelling and Digitalisation

Objective: Strengthen and enhance the activities in WP1-WP4 through modelling and digitalization.

The objective is to develop and apply physics and data-based models, combine them with sensor data, and then make these tools available for process control and optimization as well as training and education.

6: Environment and Sustainability Framework

Objective: Develop and apply an analytical framework for design and planning of zero emission metal production.

The framework shall guide a just, effective, and robust transition, and be able to evaluate and integrate design options at the level of processes, value-chains, and sectors.

7: Analysis Techniques, Emission Monitoring and Control

Objective: Develop tools and methods for industry to measure and account for emissions

as well as on/in-line characterisation of condensed material streams.