“Smelting is highly energy intensive. Traditionally, the power for smelting has come from either grids using both renewable and non-renewable sources or via onsite generation from hydrocarbons or coal. Sustainable smelting will therefore require greening the energy supply to smelting plants through a 100% renewable grid, clean onsite generation or buying into offsite renewables,” said Wood Mackenzie research manager Dominic Wells.
“Smelters are already making commitments to power their operations either partly or wholly through dedicated solar and wind power from partners and third-party companies in the next few years.”
While using renewable energy can remove carbon emissions from the power used in smelting, it cannot decarbonise the process completely. When metal ore is decomposed using a source of carbon such as coke or coal as a reductant, CO2 is inevitably created as a by-product.
Capturing carbon
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