The Silicon for the Chemical and Solar Industry Conference June 14th-16th New Elkem project aims to eliminate CO2 emissions from silicon production
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The Silicon for the Chemical and Solar Industry was organized June 14th -16th as an online conference. The aim of the conference was to discuss new development in silicon process technology, silicon quality assessment and performance in the subsequent chemical reactions including resource, energy and environmental issues. Silicon producers as well as users and academia were invited to attend.
The program covered industry relevant topics: The different processes from quartz to metallurgical and solar grade silicon, silicones or electronic silicon are strongly linked, and a sustainable process is dependent on a thorough understanding of the total process. The development of production of solar grade silicon directly by metallurgical routes is also included.
One of the sessions was the Halvard Tveit symposium. As Halvard Tveit has now left NTNU as adjunct professor, it was a nice opportunity to celebrate his contribution to the development of the FeSi/Si process as well as the connection between the industry and NTNU/SINTEF.
The Research Council of Norway has granted Elkem NOK 16 million to develop a new concept for silicon production where all direct CO2 emissions are eliminated. This may become a game changer for the global silicon industry. Elkem already uses 83% renewable electricity in its operations and aims to be part of the solution to combat climate change. Silicon is a critical material for digital technologies and the green transition.
The project will run from 2022-2024. Elkem is project owner and Aasgeir Valderhaug is project manager. The Norwegian R&D institutes SINTEF and NORCE, and the pilot test centre Future Materials, will be research partners. Senior research scientist Eli Ringdalen participates in the project from SFI Metal Production.
In its climate roadmap, Elkem has stated ambitious goals of reducing its CO2 emissions by 28% by 2031 and achieving carbon-neutrality by 2050. The granted R&D project focuses on Elkem’s 2050 goal: How to achieve carbon neutrality at the lowest environmental footprint and competitive costs?
In the press release from Elkem senior vice president for Technology, Håvard Moe says: “Elkem’s goal with this project is to develop a concept that eliminates all direct CO2 emissions from silicon production. Carbon oxides in the off gas from the smelting furnaces will be captured, converted to solid carbon, and reused in the process. In short: Silicon production with carbon looping. If and when we succeed, this may become a game changer for the global silicon industry. We believe that this is a strong candidate to become a main technology for carbon neutral silicon production beyond 2050.” .
He adds: “The development of this concept is a prioritised task in Elkem’s long term climate strategy. Industrialisation of the concept will result in vastly reduced CO2 emissions from Elkem’s silicon production, giving Elkem increased competitiveness in its markets. Elkem may also licence the technology to other manufacturers, enabling silicon production at minimal climate and environmental footprints globally.”
The experiments on laboratory scale will be performed at SINTEF, while the experiments on bench scale will be performed at Future Materials at the Fiskaa site in Kristiansand. Elkem researchers will be deeply involved in planning, execution and evaluation of the experiments and will also be responsible for process modelling, where NORCE will have a key role. R&D institutes SINTEF and NORCE, and the pilot test centre Future Materials, will be research partners.