Norwegian silicon and ferroalloy manufacturer contributing industrial-scale metallurgy, raw materials recovery, and emerging battery materials expertise to EU research consortia.
Elkem is a major Norwegian industrial manufacturer specializing in silicon, silicones, and ferrosilicon alloys, with deep roots in metallurgical processing. In H2020, they contribute industrial-scale expertise in aluminum and silicon production, waste stream valorization from primary metal smelting, and advanced materials for batteries. They serve as the industrial validation partner that brings lab-scale innovations into real furnaces and production lines, bridging the gap between research concepts and commercially viable processes.
Core contributor to SisAl Pilot (silicon from secondary aluminum), RemovAL (aluminum waste streams), AlSiCal (zero-residue co-production), and REE4EU (rare earth extraction from metallurgical byproducts).
RemovAL, AlSiCal, and REE4EU all target extracting value from industrial waste — bauxite residue, spent pot lining, aluminum dross — turning liabilities into resources.
Active in 3beLiEVe (next-gen Li-ion with LNMO cathodes), Hydra (hybrid power-energy electrodes), and SIMBA (sodium-ion batteries for stationary storage).
COGNITWIN applied digital hybrid twins, AI, and IIoT sensors to create self-adaptive models for cognitive industrial plants.
RECOBA focused on cross-sectoral real-time sensing and batch process control; INTEGRAL targeted thermoelectric generator integration into industrial heat recovery.
In their early H2020 period (2015–2019), Elkem focused squarely on what they know best: metallurgical processing, raw materials recovery, and extracting value from industrial byproducts like bauxite residue, red mud, and spent pot lining. From 2019 onward, a clear pivot emerged toward battery materials (silicon anodes, LNMO cathodes, sodium-ion cells) and industrial digitalization through AI and digital twins. This shift mirrors the broader European push toward electrification and smart manufacturing, with Elkem positioning its silicon expertise as a bridge into the battery value chain.
Elkem is repositioning from a traditional metals processor toward becoming a battery materials supplier and digitally-enabled manufacturer — expect growing interest in silicon anode materials and next-generation energy storage chemistries.
Elkem operates exclusively as a consortium participant, never as coordinator — consistent with a large industrial company that joins projects to validate technologies at scale rather than to manage research programs. With 169 unique partners across 28 countries, they connect broadly across European research networks rather than relying on a fixed set of collaborators. This makes them an accessible partner: they are experienced in large consortia, understand EU project dynamics, and bring industrial infrastructure without competing for the coordination role.
Elkem has built an extensive European network of 169 unique partners spanning 28 countries, reflecting deep integration into EU research ecosystems across materials, energy, and manufacturing domains. Their Norwegian base gives them strong Nordic connections while their project diversity ensures reach across Western, Southern, and Eastern Europe.
Elkem brings something rare to EU consortia: actual industrial-scale silicon and ferroalloy production facilities where research results can be tested under real conditions. While many partners contribute modeling or lab work, Elkem offers furnaces, smelters, and production lines — the infrastructure needed to prove that a process works beyond the lab. Their dual expertise in traditional metallurgy and emerging battery materials makes them particularly valuable for projects that need to demonstrate industrial feasibility.
