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AMAG is counting on CO2-free furnace operation

AMAG Austria Metall AG, based in Ranshofen, is a leading supplier of high-quality aluminum products. With its decarbonization strategy, the company has set itself ambitious goals. By 2050, AMAG aims to achieve climate-neutral production at its Ranshofen site. In an industry traditionally associated with high CO₂ emissions, this path marks a profound transformation–technologically, economically, and culturally.

AMAG_210590 — **Figure 1:** Single-chamber furnaces at AMAG rolling GmbH, which are used for various heat treatments of aluminum coils

The decarbonization roadmap, last updated in October 2024, illustrates how AMAG is systematically approaching this transformation. At the heart of the program are three strategic focus points: consistent use of recycled materials, increased energy efficiency, and the gradual substitution of fossil fuels with renewable alternatives such as green electricity or green hydrogen. With its AMAG AL4®ever product line – certified under ISO 14067 and independently verified – AMAG offers rolled and cast aluminum products with a particularly low CO₂ footprint, positioning itself as a pioneer in sustainable metalprocessing and a reliable partner for customers pursuing their own climate goals.By utilizing electricity from renewable sources without nuclear components, as well as a high scrap utilization rate of 75–80*%, the AMAG site in Ranshofen is already one of the most CO₂-efficient aluminum production facilities in Europe. This is further supported by its stake in the Canadian electrolysis plant Alouette, which produces primary aluminum with the world’s lowest CO₂ footprint (100% of the energy comes from hydropower), and which can also be processed in Ranshofen as needed.AMAG’s progress and actions in the ESG sector are transparently documented in the annual sustainability report. This is aligned with the European reporting standard (ESRS) and provides detailed insights into emission indicators, energy consumption, and resource efficiency. The governance structure around ESG and decarbonization is also clearly regulated. Within the strategy committee, the implementation of ESG measures is continuously monitored, ensuring tight integration with corporate strategy.As part of its decarbonization strategy, AMAG consciously pursues a technology-neutral approach. Currently, a comprehensive study by AMAG rolling GmbH is evaluating the use of different heating and burner technologies under real production conditions across several single-chamber furnaces.These pilot trials are aimed at gaining well-founded insights into the technical feasibility, energy efficiency, CO₂ reduction, and economic viability of each system. The final technology selection will ultimately be data-driven, with the clear goal of improving both sustainability and industrial efficiency.This article presents a concrete example from this study. Two single-chamber heat treatment furnaces in the rolling mill (Figure 1) were converted from gas to electric heating by an Austrian furnace manufacturer utilizing two different electric heating systems – a tubular and a plate heater. Launched in July 2023, the project aimed to replace fossil fuels with electric energy from renewable sources without compromising product quality. The technical challenge was to integrate the new heating elements into the existing installation space of the gas burners without altering the furnace atmosphere or air circulation. To maintain the thermodynamic characteristics of the furnaces, the furnace control also had to be extensively adapted. Moreover, the required electric infrastructure was already designed with foresight, so that sufficient electrical capacity is available for the operation of a total of 24 furnaces. As part of the investigations, the energy efficiency of both systems was directly compared during operation.

*Scrap content includes pre- and post-consumer scrap, closed-loop scrap, and fabricator scrap averaged across all products at the Ranshofensite.

Abbildung2_TUS17_EN — **Figure 2:** Comparison of temperature uniformity measurements between natural gas firing (orange) and electric tubular heating (green). The enveloping cures (dashed lines) represent the minimum and maximum temperatures from 20 measuring points inside the furnace at a specific point in time.

Abbildung3_TUS18_EN — **Figure 3:** Comparison of temperature uniformity measurements between natural gas firing (orange) and electric plate heating (green). The enveloping curves (dashed lines) represent the minimum and maximum temperatures from 20 measuring points inside the furnace at a specific point in time.

Commissioning of the two furnaces took place in July 2025. To validate the thermal performance and assess the impact of the new heating strategy on the treated products, temperature uniformity measurements were carried out before and after the retrofit at 20 measuring points inside the furnace, across various setpoints (see Figures 2 and 3).As the calibrated temperature curves show, electric heating in both systems leads to a somewhat faster rise to the target temperature of 200 °C. The control range lies between 200.0 °C and 201.5 °C. For the tubular heater (Figure 2), the measured minimum and maximum temperatures of 200.2 °C and 201.2 °C in electric mode result in a maximum spread of 1.4 °C from the target value. For the plate heating system (Figure 3) – with minimum and maximum temperatures of 200.3 °C and 201.7 °C – the maximum spread is 2.0 °C. Both systems thus meet the stringent standards of AMS 2750/AMS 2772 (the aerospace industry standard) and ensure that product quality remains unchanged.Both electric heating solutions deliver significant energy savings, cutting average energy use by 26% to 29% compared to gas-fired operation. Also, the CO₂ savings achieved through electrification are remarkable: around 100 tons of CO₂ per furnace are avoided each year. Compared to the current total emissions of approximately 92,000 tons of CO2 per year (as of 2024) at the Ranshofen site, this amount may seem small. However, the insights gained from this project could enable a long-term CO2 reduction of up to 45,000 tons per year, corresponding to 40 to 50% of the site’s Scope 1 emissions.From an economic perspective, large-scale electrification remains a challenge. Currently, the electrical energy required for the corresponding heat treatment is significantly more expensive than natural gas. At present these additional costs can only be passed on to customers to a limited extent. In the medium term, however, a switch to renewable energy sources is essential to comply with the European Union’s – and thus Austria’s – commitment to implementing the Paris climate goals (i.e., limiting global warming to 1.5 °C compared to pre-industrial levels).

In parallel with electrification, AMAG rolling GmbH is also testing a switch to hydrogen combustion in another pilot project. A third single-chamber furnace is currently being retrofitted accordingly. The technical challenge is to develop suitable burners that are efficient and compatible with the existing infrastructure. Provided that hydrogen supply security is ensured in the medium term and prices drop to a level comparable to natural gas, this energy source could represent an economically viable alternative in the future. From AMAG’s perspective, the gradual evaluation and establishment of new furnace technologies is an important step towards climate neutrality. Through a phased approach and targeted pilot projects, a sound knowledge base is being built without negatively impacting ongoing production or product quality. The knowledge generated can then be used effectively for larger conversions, such as for pusher furnaces or casting units.

The experience gained from the current project flows directly into the planning of future measures. The conversion of the single-chamber furnaces exemplifies how AMAG combines technological innovation, economic considerations, and ecological responsibility.

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