PCC BakkiSilicon hf., a member of the PCC Group
Since 2018 we operate one of the most advanced silicon metal production plants worldwide in Húsavík, Iceland. PCC BakkiSilicon hf. is wholly owned by German holding company PCC SE with its three decades of experience of investment projects, especially in the chemicals industry. Benefits and synergies for PCC BakkiSilicon abound: So, for example, we source quartzite, the major feedstock for our Silicon Metal production, from PCC Silicium S.A. in Zagórze, Poland. And on the other side of our Silicon Metal value chain, PCC SE, through its start up company PCC Thorion GmbH, has joined forces with Fraunhofer ISE to develop a silicon-carbon composite designed to enhance the performance of lithium-ion batteries. The innovative material is based on Silicon powder from our plant in Iceland. Here you can learn more about PCC SE and PCC Thorion GmbH.
PCC BakkiSilicon hf. in a nutshell:
Location
Húsavík (Iceland)
Applications
Silicon metal is used in a wide variety of applications in the chemical industry, e.g. in the production of silicones and silanes, and in the production of high-strength aluminum alloys for the automotive industry. It is also a primary input material in the manufacture of photovoltaic modules.
Production capacity
35,000 metric tons per year of silicon metal
Production process
Silicon metal is extracted from quartzite, aided by the addition of wood chip and coal, in electric arc furnaces at temperatures of around 2,000 degrees Celsius. The new plant obtains its key raw material quartzite primarily from PCC’s own quarry in Zagórze, Poland. However, the related logistical costs are more than outweighed by the advantages of electricity procurement. And the dust emissions generated during silicon metal production are almost completely removed from the ambient air by high-performance filter systems installed in the PCC plant. Taken as a whole, therefore, the production process offers exceptional sustainability credentials.
Site advantages in Iceland
The production process is very energy-intensive, which is why Iceland with its rich geothermal and hydropower resources and relatively favorable electricity costs is so suitable as a location. In March 2014, PCC BakkiSilicon hf. concluded a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Iceland’s biggest energy utility, Landsvirkjun. The favorable terms negotiated are guaranteed for 15 years and the contract includes an extension option. From 2018, during the first phase of operation, the plant will be supplied with 58 MW. Landsvirkjun developed a new geothermal energy source close to Húsavík and constructed a 90 MW power plant serving the entire new industrial area. The ensuing logistical costs for delivery of the raw materials to Iceland and shipment of the silicon metal to customers abroad are more than outweighed by the advantages in electricity procurement – both from an economic and an ecological point of view.
Customers
The silicon metal to be produced in Iceland has already been extensively earmarked for customers in German industry through long-term contracts. PCC is thus making an important contribution to securing supplies of silicon metal as an input material for value-adding production activities in Germany.