Novelis Inc., a Georgia-based industrial aluminum company, started operating its first electric pusher furnace at the Sierre facility in Switzerland to heat aluminum ingots before rolling.

Transitioning from natural gas to local Swiss electricity reduces energy consumption by 25% and cuts yearly emissions by roughly 4,500 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This change lowers total Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.

The project came from the Net Zero Lab Valais initiative, founded in February 2022 by Novelis, OIKEN, HES-SO Valais-Wallis, and EPFL.

Serge Gaudin, Plant Manager of Sierre and Director of Recycling Plants for Novelis in Europe, said that this advancement supports the company's long-term 3x30 decarbonization strategy.

Besides, Novelis and Oiken are researching an expansion of the municipal district heating network to provide waste heat from aluminum casting to Sierre.