Sustainability
Constellium today announced its move towards industrial testing of hydrogen utilization in its casthouses, marking a significant step in its commitment to decarbonizing its operations. Recycling and casting are the most energy intensive operations and represent close to 50% of Constellium’s direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Building upon successful laboratory-scale trials conducted in 2022 by C-TEC, Constellium’s main R&D center, the Company was able to demonstrate that transitioning from natural gas to hydrogen has no adverse effects on energy efficiency, oxidation rate, or product quality, with a focus on ensuring safe operations. This first demonstration phase has paved the way for industrial-scale testing at C-TEC.
“We are excited to embark on industrial testing of hydrogen utilization in our casthouse operations, now that our laboratory trials have affirmed the viability and safety of integrating hydrogen into our production processes,” said Ludovic Piquier, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing Excellence and Chief Technical Officer at Constellium. “Green hydrogen is a promising lever to help the transition to carbon-neutral production, and we are proud of our progress in this important field. Our goal is to ensure Constellium is ready for the adoption of green hydrogen when it becomes more accessible and cost-effective for industrial applications.”
In preparation of the industrial testing phase, C-TEC has equipped one of its furnaces with a highly efficient burner capable of operating with oxygen and both natural gas and/or hydrogen. First results are expected Q3 2024.
Constellium is actively involved in various multi-stakeholder projects aimed at advancing hydrogen technologies for industrial decarbonization. One notable initiative is HyInHeat ("Hydrogen technologies for decarbonization of industrial heating processes"), a European Union-funded initiative exploring the substitution of natural gas with hydrogen in aluminium and steel transformation processes.
In addition to its focus on hydrogen, Constellium is exploring alternative decarbonization technologies, including direct electrification solutions compatible with existing furnaces.