During the recent “Hydrogen Innovation” webinar hosted by FEDECOM EU on May 28, 2025, MECALO took the spotlight with a compelling presentation of its innovative carbon looping approach to producing silicon and manganese without CO₂ emissions.
Innovation at the Core: Carbon Looping
In the video, SINTEF’s Halvor Dalaker introduced MECALO’s unique four-step process, methanation, methane pyrolysis, raw materials synthesis and carbothermic reduction, designed to recycle CO₂ emissions during metallurgical production. The process converts CO₂ into methane, breaks it down into hydrogen and solid carbon, and reuses that carbon as a reducing agent in electric furnaces.
A Real Alternative to Fossil Carbon
Rather than replacing carbon with hydrogen in reduction reactions, which is not always viable in silicon and manganese production, MECALO integrates hydrogen into a closed-loop system that regenerates carbon. This novel use of hydrogen supports decarbonisation where direct substitution isn’t possible.
Concrete Targets and Impact
As highlighted in the video, MECALO aims to reduce direct CO₂ emissions in silicon and manganese production by 95% by 2050. The goal is to replace 9 million tonnes of imported coal with 15 billion Nm³ of hydrogen annually, cutting 33 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.
Industrial Relevance
One of MECALO’s strengths is its compatibility with existing metallurgical infrastructure, enabling significant decarbonisation without the need to rebuild entire plants. Industrial partners like Elkem and Eramet are already working on full-scale pilot demonstrations to test the technology in real-world conditions.
Q&A Highlights
In the closing Q&A session, Halvor addressed key questions about MECALO’s carbon looping approach. He emphasized that the project doesn’t aim to eliminate carbon use, but rather to create a closed-loop system where CO₂ is captured, converted and reused as solid carbon in metallurgical processes.
When asked about replacing carbon with hydrogen, Dalaker clarified that in silicon and manganese production, carbon cannot be removed from the chemical reaction, but it can be cycled using hydrogen to regenerate it sustainably.
He also highlighted MECALO’s compatibility with existing furnaces, avoiding the need for radical changes in infrastructure and noted that this makes the technology scalable and realistic for industrial adoption.
You can rewatch the full webinar here