SINTEF has had the project leadership of biocarbon research projects launched by the Norwegian Ferroalloy Producers Research Association (FFF) in the period 1997-2007, aiming at clarifying the consequences of increased use of biocarbon and the possibilities for this industry to reduce their share of the Norwegian fossil CO₂ emissions.  These emissions come mainly from coal and coke used as reductants in the smelting processes.  Solid carbon is needed for example in the processing of silicon (Si) in order to break the bonds between oxygen and silicon in the added quartz (SiO2).

Biocarbon, in the form of wood chips or charcoal, is widely used in Brazil for metallurgical purposes as a reductant in iron processing, ferroalloy- and steel- production.

Research examples:

• The performances of various types of charcoals have been assessed in both silicon- and manganese alloy production in pilot scale experiments at SINTEF and by industry.
• Fundamental properties of charcoal compared to coal and coke have been measured; examples are electrical resistivity, thermal abrasive strength, SiO- , and CO₂-, reactivity.
• A PhD thesis with focus on understanding the silicon process, including reaction rate modelling, has been carried out.
• New charcoal processes with high carbon yield have been developed.
• High purity products have been developed, suitable for solar silicon production.
• CO₂ life-cycle assessment for Norwegian silicon and ferrosilicon production has been carried out.
• Creosote chips made from used telephone poles have proven to perform well in ferrosilicon production. In this way a problem waste can be turned into a valuable product.
• The possibility for using biocarbon in anodes for aluminium processing is being assessed.
• In order to reduce sulphur emissions, the possibility for using biocarbon in the production of silicon carbide as a substitute for petrol coke is also studied.