Visions through the Smelting Furnace. The Story of a Norwegian Smelting Plant towards Carbon-Neutral Ferrosilicon Production.

Abstract

Ferrosilicon is one of the fundamental building blocks of modern society, yet seldom discussed outside the factory halls in which it is produced. Products from the ferrosilicon industry end up in everything from cars to computers. Finnfjord, a family- owned smelting plant in Northern Norway, is one of the largest ferrosilicon producers in the world, but also one of the largest CO2 emitters on the Norwegian mainland. In 2007, Finnfjord adopted a vision to become the world’s first carbon-neutral smelting plant. Today, ten years later, and after nearly EUR 100 million worth of investments in technological upgrades, Finnfjord claims to be the most energy-efficient and environmental-friendly smelting plant in the world. The company has received both praise and heavy governmental funding for its innovative solutions, but is still far from reaching its ultimate goal. This thesis takes an actor-network approach to studying Finnfjord and the many contributors who have been involved at the factory within the last decade. More specifically, the thesis explores how Finnfjord have pursued their vision to become carbon-neutral. Its main contribution is a detailed empirical account of the company’s two main ventures since the adoption of the vision – the Energy Recovery Project and the Algae Project – based on interviews with actors both within and outside Finnfjord. The thesis draws on insights from science and technology studies (STS) in order to highlight the complexities of the field Finnfjord operate within, and argues that the production of ferrosilicon is a highly political practice which deserves a more central place in the public debate.