SisAl Pilot: A NEW EU INITIATIVE IN THE RAW MATERIALS FIELD
The main objective of this 4-year project is to demonstrate a patented novel industrial process to produce silicon (Si, a critical raw material), enabling a shift from today’s process to a far more environmentally and economically alternative: in SisAl Pilot quartz in slag is reduced though aluminothermic reduction that utilizes secondary raw materials such as aluminium (Al) scrap and dross, as replacements for carbon reductants used today. Compared to the current silicon production, the SisAl process will be able to cut energy consumption by two thirds, eliminate direct emissions of CO2 and other harmful pollutants, and operate at a considerably lower cost. The SisAl project represents a strong contribution to circular economy through industrial symbiosis.
SisAl Pilot is coordinated by NORGES TEKNISK-NATURVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET NTNU. The consortium comprises 22 partners from 9 countries, Helmholtz-Institut Freiberg for Resource Technology at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf is one partner. The SisAl Pilot project has been funded by the European Commission under the H2020 Funding Programme, topic CE-SC5-07-2018-2019-2020 “Raw materials innovation for the circular economy: sustainable processing, reuse, recycling and recovery schemes”.
