Overview

The project SisAl Pilot – Innovative pilot for Silicon production with low environmental impact using secondary Aluminium and silicon raw materials - aims to demonstrate a patented novel industrial process to produce silicon (Si, a critical raw material), enabling a shift from today’s carbothermic Submerged Arc Furnace (SAF) process to a far more environmentally and economically sustainable alternative: an aluminothermic reduction of quartz in slag that utilizes secondary raw materials such as aluminium (Al) EoL scrap and dross, as replacements for carbon reductants used today. SisAl Pilot represents a path-breaking approach, and a strong contribution to “circularity” through industrial symbiosis where the Al industry will act as both a raw material supplier and end user to the Si industry. Across sectors, SisAl Pilot will give substantial reductions in material yield losses, enhanced valorisation of waste- and by-product streams (SiO2 fines, Si skulls, dross, scrap etc), at a 3 X lower energy consumption and radically lower emissions of CO2 and harmful pollutants, at a considerably lower cost. The project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement n. 869268