Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) plans to develop a solar-powered project to manufacture silicon metal in the UAE.

Construction of the planned silicon metal plant could start as soon as next year, according to CEO Abdulnasser bin Kalban.

Silicon metal is added to aluminium during the casting process to create high-strength alloys, required particularly in the automotive industry.

Foundry alloys, used to make vehicle parts, account for roughly a quarter of EGA’s production.

The UAE currently has no domestic silicon metal manufacturing capacity, and EGA is “by far the largest importer of this material with an annual demand of around 60 thousand tonnes”.

It is understood some 70 per cent of the world’s silicon metal manufacturing capacity is located in China, with the electricity-intensive industry largely powered by coal.

Silicon metal is an essential raw material for other industries, including silicones used in the manufacture of products ranging from adhesives to contact lenses, and high-purity silicon, used to manufacture solar photovoltaic panels and semiconductors.

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EGA noted that a domestic supply of silicon metal could create the opportunity for a local solar photovoltaics manufacturing value chain to develop.

“Developing a silicon metal manufacturing facility would secure our supply of a strategic raw material,” said Kalban. “Once we have met our own demand, we could expand further, creating a new growth opportunity for our company while supporting the development of new local industries.”

The UAE is expected to become a significant market for solar photovoltaic panels with its ambitious goals to expand solar power generation capacity, including meeting EGA’s demand for cleaner energy.

Research data suggests the global market for silicon metal is expected to grow from $6.3bn in 2019 to $8.3bn by 2027.