MECALO partner BTG participated in the Biocarbon in Metallurgy 2026 Conference, organised by NTNU and held in Krakow, Poland, from 21 to 23 April 2026.
During the conference, Hans Heeres from BTG delivered a presentation titled “Production of bio-binders through Thermo-Chemical Fractionation of biomass”, highlighting ongoing work within the MECALO project on the development of sustainable bio-based binders for metallurgical applications.
The presentation introduced MECALO’s overall ambition to support the decarbonisation of silicon and manganese production through innovative approaches based on renewable hydrogen and alternative carbon sources. Particular attention was given to BTG’s activities on fast pyrolysis and thermo-chemical fractionation processes used to produce bio-binders from biomass-derived fractions.
The audience was also presented with recent progress achieved in the testing and scale-up of bio-binders, including the transition from laboratory-scale production to pilot-scale manufacturing. These developments contribute to MECALO’s broader objective of reducing reliance on fossil carbon in carbothermic reduction processes while supporting a more sustainable and resilient European raw materials value chain.
Participation in international conferences such as Biocarbon in Metallurgy 2026 represents an important opportunity for MECALO partners to share project developments, exchange knowledge with experts in the field, and strengthen collaboration across the research and industrial communities.
To learn more about BTG’s work within MECALO and the presented research, the full presentation is available here.