METALS

Transforming the processbehind the material.

Metals production combines extreme temperatures, intensive energy use and some of industry's longest-lived assets. We help producers evaluate lower-carbon technologies, understand their economics and plan the investments required to transform production.

Discuss your transition

Strategy, technology and investment planning for energy-intensive metals production.

Large-scale metals production facility representing metals decarbonisation

THE CHALLENGE

Deep decarbonisation can meanchanging the production route itself.

For many metals processes, emissions are embedded in systems built around fossil fuels, extreme heat and carbon-intensive chemistry.

Incremental efficiency improvements remain valuable, but reaching deep reductions can require fundamentally different technologies, energy systems and raw-material pathways.

Extreme process heat

Melting, refining and heat treatment require large quantities of reliable energy at very high temperatures.

Process emissions

In primary metals production, carbon can play a direct role in chemical reduction as well as supplying energy.

Capital-intensive assets

Furnaces, smelters, casting systems and rolling equipment represent major investments with long operating lives.

System transformation

New production routes can require simultaneous changes to raw materials, energy supply, infrastructure and downstream operations.

UNDERSTANDING THE BASELINE

Energy, chemistryand the production route.

The emissions profile differs significantly across steel, aluminium and other metals.

The first strategic question is therefore not simply how much energy the site consumes, but which parts of the production route create emissions — and why.

The balance changes dramatically between primary and secondary production, making process-specific analysis essential.

Process & Reduction

Carbon used directly within metallurgical processes and chemical reduction.

High-Temperature Heat

Fuels and energy required for furnaces, reheating and thermal processing.

Electricity

Power used across electric furnaces, electrolysis, casting, rolling and auxiliary systems.

Raw Materials

Emissions influenced by ore quality, recycled content and upstream material preparation.

ILLUSTRATIVE PRODUCTION FLOW

  1. 01Raw Material
  2. 02Reduction / Melting
  3. 03Refining
  4. 04Casting
  5. 05Finishing

DECARBONISATION PATHWAYS

Improve the existing route.Then challenge the route itself.

The transition can combine efficiency and electrification with greater recycling, alternative reduction technologies, hydrogen and entirely different production configurations.

01

Efficiency

Extract more from existing assets.

Reduce energy demand and emissions through process optimisation, heat recovery and improved operational performance.

TYPICAL MEASURES

  • Waste heat recovery
  • Furnace optimisation
  • Advanced process control
  • Efficient motors and drives
  • Thermal management
02

Electrification

Move thermal demand to power.

Replace fossil-fired equipment with electrical technologies where process requirements and power infrastructure allow.

TYPICAL MEASURES

  • Electric furnaces
  • Induction heating
  • Electric reheating
  • Resistance heating
  • Electrified auxiliary systems
03

Recycling & Circularity

Reduce dependence on primary material.

Increase secondary metal production where material availability, quality requirements and product specifications allow.

TYPICAL MEASURES

  • Scrap utilisation
  • Improved sorting
  • Material recovery
  • Closed-loop recycling
  • Secondary production routes
04

Hydrogen

Replace carbon where chemistry allows.

Evaluate low-carbon hydrogen as a fuel and, in selected metallurgical processes, as an alternative reducing agent.

TYPICAL MEASURES

  • Hydrogen-based reduction
  • Hydrogen furnaces
  • Fuel substitution
  • Hydrogen-ready assets
  • Storage and distribution
05

Process Transformation

Change how the metal is made.

Evaluate fundamentally different production routes where incremental improvements cannot achieve the required emissions reductions.

TYPICAL MEASURES

  • Direct reduced iron
  • Electric arc furnaces
  • Inert-anode concepts
  • Alternative reduction processes
  • Novel metallurgical technologies

CHOOSING THE PRODUCTION ROUTE

Different pathways demanddifferent systems around them.

Technology selection changes more than the production asset. It can reshape electricity demand, hydrogen requirements, raw-material specifications and the infrastructure required by the entire site.

ILLUSTRATIVE STEEL PATHWAYS
Existing Route + CCUSDRI + EAFH₂-DRI + EAFScrap + EAF
Process changeLow–ModerateHighHighHigh
Electricity demandModerateHighVery highHigh
Hydrogen dependencyLowModerateVery highLow
Raw-material constraintExistingDRI-grade oreDRI-grade oreQuality scrap
Infrastructure needCO₂ networkPower + gasPower + H₂Power
Emissions potentialHighHighVery highVery high*

*Dependent on electricity carbon intensity and scrap availability.

PATHWAY LOGIC

  1. Optimise

    Improve existing production performance.

  2. Electrify

    Move suitable thermal and mechanical processes toward electricity.

  3. Increase Circularity

    Expand secondary production where material constraints permit.

  4. Change Reduction

    Replace carbon-intensive chemistry with lower-carbon alternatives.

  5. Transform the Route

    Move toward fundamentally different production systems where required.

HOW WE HELP

Start with the asset.Understand the whole system.

  1. 01

    BASELINE

    Map the production route.

    Understand material flows, energy demand, emissions, production requirements and the major assets behind them.

    • Process baseline
    • Energy & emissions profile
    • Asset map
  2. 02

    SCREEN

    Identify credible pathways.

    Assess efficiency, electrification, recycling, hydrogen and alternative production technologies against site requirements.

    • Technology shortlist
    • Abatement opportunities
    • Infrastructure needs
  3. 03

    COMPARE

    Test the economics.

    Model capital requirements, operating economics and exposure to electricity, hydrogen, carbon and raw-material scenarios.

    • Techno-economic model
    • Scenario analysis
    • Pathway comparison
  4. 04

    SEQUENCE

    Plan the transformation.

    Align technology changes with asset replacements, infrastructure availability and long-term capital programmes.

    • Preferred pathway
    • Investment roadmap
    • Decision gates

TRANSFORMATION AT SCALE

A new process routeneeds a new system around it.

A major metals transition can fundamentally alter the inputs required by a production site.

A shift toward electric furnaces can dramatically increase power demand. Hydrogen-based reduction creates an entirely new energy supply requirement. Greater recycling changes raw-material flows.

The infrastructure strategy and production strategy therefore need to move together.

TODAY

Existing route

  • Ore / primary feedstock
  • Coal / natural gas
  • Existing electricity supply

TRANSITION

Route interventions

  • Efficiency
  • Electrification
  • Recycling
  • Hydrogen
  • Process transformation

FUTURE

Transformed system

  • Low-carbon electricity
  • Low-carbon hydrogen
  • Higher recycled content
  • Alternative production route
Potential additional electrical capacity
+350 MW
Potential hydrogen requirement
45 kt/yr
Change in site electricity demand
2–4×
Typical horizon for major asset transformation
10–20 yrs

These are not simply equipment decisions. They are long-term energy, infrastructure and capital decisions.

DELIVERABLES

A transition casebuilt around the assets.

01

Process & Emissions Baseline

A production-level view of material flows, energy demand, emissions and major assets.

02

Technology Pathway Assessment

Evaluation of efficiency, electrification, hydrogen, recycling and alternative production routes.

03

Techno-Economic Model

Comparable analysis of CAPEX, operating costs, energy exposure and lifecycle economics.

04

Energy & Infrastructure Strategy

Assessment of future electricity, hydrogen, fuel and site-infrastructure requirements.

05

Asset Transition Plan

Alignment of technology changes with furnace, smelter and other major asset cycles.

06

Investment Roadmap

A phased programme connecting technology choices, enabling infrastructure and major capital commitments.

European metals manufacturing site representing an electrification transition project

METALS IN PRACTICE

Planning the transition fromgas-fired heat to electrified production.

Terravia assessed the decarbonisation of thermal processes across a European metals manufacturing portfolio, comparing direct electrification, hybrid systems and efficiency investments across multiple sites.

The programme identified where electrification could proceed immediately, where grid reinforcement was required and how major asset replacements should be sequenced.

Production sites
5
Thermal emissions addressed
74%
Priority investment identified
€58m
Major transition milestone
2034

WORK DELIVERED

  • Site energy baselines
  • Process-heat assessment
  • Electrification screening
  • Technology comparison
  • Grid-capacity analysis
  • CAPEX & OPEX modelling
  • Multi-site investment roadmap
View project

HOW WE SUPPORT THE SECTOR

From production routeto capital programme.

Decarbonisation Strategy

Determine how efficiency, electrification, circularity and process transformation combine into a credible long-term pathway.

Explore Decarbonisation Strategy

Technology & Economics

Compare alternative production and energy technologies across technical performance, economics and uncertainty.

Explore Technology & Economics

Investment Roadmaps

Sequence major assets, enabling infrastructure and capital investments across the transition horizon.

Explore Investment Roadmaps

OTHER INDUSTRIES

Explore our work acrosshard-to-abate sectors.

Cement & Lime

Process emissions, high-temperature kilns and the role of materials, alternative fuels and carbon capture.

Explore Cement & Lime

Glass & Ceramics

High-temperature production and the transition toward electric, hybrid and alternative-fuel systems.

Explore Glass & Ceramics

Chemicals

Complex transitions spanning process energy, hydrogen, feedstocks and carbon management.

Explore Chemicals

START A CONVERSATION

Plan the assets behind lower-carbon metals.

Whether you are evaluating electrification, considering a new production route or preparing the energy infrastructure for your next generation of assets, Terravia can help turn the transition into a credible sequence of technical and investment decisions.

Talk to our team