Norsk Hydro Tests HalZero Technology for Aluminum Production

Norsk Hydro Reaches First Metal Production Milestone With HalZero

Norsk Hydro ASA (Hydro) has produced metal from aluminum chloride for the first time using its new Norsk Hydro HalZero technology at its research and test facility in Herøya, Porsgrunn, Norway. The milestone advances Hydro's development of a new primary aluminum production process designed to eliminate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from electrolysis and anode production. Although the technology remains under development, the first metal production demonstrates progress at the test facility, where Hydro is evaluating the individual stages of the process before moving toward an integrated industrial concept pilot.

How HalZero Is Designed to Reduce Aluminum Production Emissions

Developed since 2016, HalZero uses a different process from conventional primary aluminum production by converting alumina into aluminum chloride before electrolysis. The process is designed to keep chlorine and carbon in closed loops, with the objective of eliminating CO2 emissions from electrolysis and anode production. This process design is central to Hydro's effort to develop a primary aluminum production route intended to achieve net-zero emissions. The technology is still being tested, however, and the successful production of metal from aluminum chloride represents a development milestone rather than confirmation that the entire process has achieved its intended emissions performance.

Herøya Test Facility Supports Process Development

Hydro's research and test facility in Herøya was built with support from Enova, a state enterprise owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment. The facility has been operating since January 2026 to test the individual process steps involved in HalZero. Its role is to help establish how the technology's separate stages perform before they are integrated into a complete industrial process. Hydro has confirmed that production at the current facility still generates CO2 emissions. That distinction is important because the technology's long-term emissions objective has not yet been demonstrated by the existing test operation.

Next Phase Targets an Industrial Concept Pilot

The next development stage is to create an industrial concept pilot that integrates and tests all the process steps required by HalZero. This work is intended to provide a basis for subsequent assessments of deployment at industrial scale. Moving from tests of individual steps to an integrated pilot would allow Hydro to evaluate the combined process rather than relying only on results from separate operations. The company has not established through the reported milestone that industrial-scale deployment is ready to proceed. Instead, the pilot concept and its evaluation are the next steps toward determining whether the process can be developed for wider primary aluminum production.

Enova Adds NOK 82 Million in Project Support

Enova has granted an additional NOK 82 million to support the next phase of Hydro's HalZero project. The funding is intended for concept development and planning of an industrial pilot facility, helping advance the project beyond its existing research and test activities. Enova is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, and its support forms part of the development effort described by Hydro. The additional grant does not itself confirm the pilot's completion, commercial readiness, or the timing of industrial-scale deployment. Those questions will depend on the further development and assessment of the proposed integrated process.

Industry Impact & Outlook

HalZero's first metal production from aluminum chloride is a meaningful technical step for the development of alternative primary aluminum production processes, particularly because the technology targets emissions from electrolysis and anode production. For the aluminum industry, its potential significance will depend on whether Hydro can integrate the individual steps into a workable industrial process and demonstrate the intended emissions performance. The additional NOK 82 million in Enova support provides funding for concept development and pilot planning, but industrial deployment remains subject to further assessment. The next important milestone is therefore an integrated pilot capable of informing decisions about the process's suitability for industrial-scale use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What has Norsk Hydro achieved with HalZero technology?
Hydro has produced metal from aluminum chloride for the first time using its HalZero technology at its research and test facility in Herøya, Norway. This milestone demonstrates progress in developing a new primary aluminum production process intended to eliminate CO2 emissions from electrolysis and anode production. It does not mean the full process has reached industrial readiness or achieved its intended emissions outcome. Hydro's next step is to develop an industrial concept pilot that integrates and tests the required process stages.

How does the HalZero aluminum production process work?
HalZero is designed to convert alumina into aluminum chloride before electrolysis, using a process that keeps chlorine and carbon in closed loops. Hydro has been developing the technology since 2016 as part of its effort to create a primary aluminum production process that eliminates CO2 emissions from electrolysis and anode production. The process remains under development, and the current test facility still generates CO2 emissions. Its intended emissions benefits therefore need to be assessed as development progresses toward an integrated industrial pilot.

Where is Hydro testing HalZero, and when did the facility begin operating?
Hydro is testing HalZero at its research and test facility in Herøya, Porsgrunn, Norway, where the project has reached the milestone of producing metal from aluminum chloride. The facility began operating in January 2026 and was established to test the individual process steps involved in the technology. It was built with support from Enova, a state enterprise owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment. The facility's current purpose is process testing, not proof that the complete technology is already ready for industrial deployment.

Does HalZero already eliminate CO2 emissions from aluminum production?
No. Although HalZero is designed to eliminate CO2 emissions from electrolysis and anode production, Hydro has stated that production at its current test facility still generates CO2 emissions. The reported milestone confirms that metal has been produced from aluminum chloride, but it does not establish that the complete process has achieved its intended emissions performance. Hydro plans to integrate and test all necessary process steps in an industrial concept pilot. That work is expected to provide a basis for subsequent assessments of potential industrial-scale deployment.

How much additional funding has Enova granted to the HalZero project?
Enova has granted an additional NOK 82 million to support the next phase of Hydro's HalZero project. The funding will be used for concept development and planning of an industrial pilot facility, rather than being confirmation that the pilot has already been completed. Enova is a state enterprise owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment and previously supported the construction of Hydro's research and test facility. The additional grant supports the next stage of development as Hydro works toward evaluating the technology in an integrated industrial process.

What is the next step for HalZero after the first metal production milestone?
The next step is to develop an industrial concept pilot that brings together and tests all the process steps required by HalZero. This integrated testing is intended to provide a basis for later assessments of whether the technology can be deployed at industrial scale. Enova's additional NOK 82 million grant will support concept development and planning for the pilot facility. The reported milestone does not establish a commercial launch date or confirm that industrial deployment will proceed. Further development and assessment will be needed to determine the process's industrial suitability.