Plenary Lectures and VIP Guests

Mr. Bruno Parreiras

Abstract:

This presentation provides an overview of the Brazilian ferroalloy and silicon metal industry, focusing on its energy and sustainability performance over the 2001–2025 period. Ferroalloys and silicon metal are essential materials for the metallurgical industry and are increasingly relevant to the energy transition and the development of strategic technologies.

The Brazilian industry is highly energy-intensive and operates predominantly with electric reduction furnaces. A distinctive feature of the Brazilian production route is the high participation of renewable energy sources. Approximately 84% of the sector’s energy consumption comes from renewable sources, compared with about 62% for Brazilian industry as a whole. The use of charcoal, produced predominantly from planted forests, further contributes to the renewable character of the Brazilian production route.

The presentation also highlights the results of an emissions inventory indicating that the current Brazilian production scenario presents 79.54% lower emissions than a fossil-carbon-based scenario used as an international reference.

Despite these environmental advantages, the Brazilian industry faces increasing challenges in international markets, including trade barriers and growing competition from imported products. The presentation discusses the importance of recognizing the low-carbon characteristics of Brazilian ferroalloys and silicon metal and of integrating energy, mineral, industrial and climate policies.

The ABRAFE perspective is that Brazil can transform its renewable energy and mineral resource advantages into greater industrial value, technological development and global competitiveness, strengthening domestic value chains for strategic materials and contributing to the decarbonization of the metallurgical industry.