Elkem receives NOK 50 million in project support

2019-12-20

Dec. 20, 2019 - Together with several partners, Elkem has been awarded funding for six projects from The Research Council of Norway in the application round 2019.

 –The project support helps to solve challenges in the environment, renewable energy and circular economy. The grant from the Research Council is incredibly important, because it triggers investments for research and development and technology development in the industry, says Håvard Moe, Senior Vice President Elkem Technology.

Earlier this year, Elkem applied for funding for six projects through the Research Council of Norway's (RCN) scheme for innovation projects in the industrial sector.

On Monday morning, it became clear that all six projects will receive funding. In total, Elkem and partners will receive NOK 50 million in support in connection with the RCN's application round in 2019 over a three-year period.

The amount of funding awarded is between NOK 8 and 10,6 million for each of the projects. The final allocation for each specific project will be ready after a contract meeting between Elkem and RCN in February.

Good partners

The support is given to projects across the Elkem value chain, from quantification of emissions in the ferroalloy industry to the use of graphite surface treatment to increase the charging rate in li-ion batteries.

– This is all about 3D printing and the development of future carbon and silicon products by digitalisation in order to make production more environmentally friendly. We look forward to stepping up our efforts with our partners, says Moe.

SINTEF is Elkem's main partner in the projects, while both NTNU, the University of Agder and the development and catapult center Future Materials play important roles in the projects. Hydro and Arendals Fossekompani are key industrial partners.

Here are the project themes:

1. Dust Detection System, online monitoring and quantification of emissions from the ferroalloy industry

2. New aluminium silicon alloys for additive manufacturing (3D printing)

3. Development of manufacturing processes for silicon alloys for additive manufacturing (3D printing)

4. Upgrading of slag from Elkem's silicon/ferrosilicon production to products in the concrete industry

5. Development of microstructure model to tailor ferrosilicon

6. Surface treatment of Artificial Graphite (SAGA) for the development of anodes in lithium ion batteries, where Elkem is working on using graphite surface treatment to increase the charge rate of li-ion batteries