Key facts

• ArcelorMittal’s XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel with Magnelis® coating will provide a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions.

• Following the recent €10 million investment in galvanising line no. 1, ArcelorMittal’s plant in Avilés is able to meet the full range of requirements for Magnelis® for the solar panel market.

• The use of Magnelis® in the production of poles in metal structures for solar panels offers a highly efficient solution and is increasingly used in Europe.

About Alusín Solar

Alusín Solar is a company specialising in the design, manufacture, and installation of metal support structures for solar panels. Located in the Parque Empresarial Principado de Asturias business park in Avilés, Spain, the company has grown continuously since its foundation in 2010. It has produced and supplied support structures for solar panels providing a total capacity of 850 MW in more than 32 countries in 3 continents.

More information: Alusín Solar

Alusín Solar: producing solar poles with Magnelis® is more efficient than producing structures to be postgalvanised

Alusín Solar, a Spanish company which has supplied structures for the erection of solar panels representing a generation capacity of more than 850 MW in more than 32 countries, has signed an agreement to purchase ArcelorMittal’s XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel with Magnelis® coating, a metallic coating which provides very high corrosion protection. XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel is made using 100% renewable electricity and a very high proportion of recycled steel.

The partnership between Alusín Solar and ArcelorMittal shows that close collaboration at a local level can yield substantial benefits. In the framework of this collaboration, Alusín Solar has carried out its first tests on the production of solar poles using Magnelis®, which is a much more efficient method than producing structures to be postgalvanised. This solution will enable Alusín Solar to respond faster to its customers’ demands. A key factor for the success of this project has been the development by ArcelorMittal of an automatic 15-year guarantee for installation in soils for Alusín Solar.

XCarb® recycled and renewably produced Magnelis® now to be produced at ArcelorMittal Avilés to cover the Spanish solar market

These positive results arrive at the best moment as, starting in May 2023, ArcelorMittal’s plant in Aviles, Spain will be able to produce XCarb® recycled and renewably produced Magnelis® in thicknesses of up to 3.5 mm on its recently revamped galvanising line no. 1. This offers a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions per tonne of steel produced compared with the conventional manufacturing method.

Until now, Magnelis® customers in Spain have been supplied partially (for thicknesses over 2 mm) from ArcelorMittal sites elsewhere in Europe. Having a local supplier able to cover the full needs of the solar market further reduces indirect CO2 emissions as well as delivery times.

Alusín Solar will be one of the first customers to purchase XCarb® recycled and renewably produced Magnelis® from the newly revamped line following the successful technical cooperation carried out to optimise supplies of steel for the solar sector, thus providing a significant physical reduction in the CO2 footprint.

The participation of ArcelorMittal Distribution Solutions Iberia in this process was also key to the successful optimisation of the supply chain.

Magnelis®: a product that offers multiple benefits

ArcelorMittal’s Magnelis® is a metallic coating that offers exceptional corrosion protection and ensures optimal surface protection against long-term wear and tear.

Thanks to its unique composition, Magnelis® provides an unprecedented level of surface and cut-edge protection, even in the harshest environments. Additionally, the self-healing effect of Magnelis® ensures the protection of uncoated edges from scratches and perforations.

It is precisely this self-healing effect of the Magnelis® coating that will enable Alusín Solar to start marketing, in the coming weeks, its CAREX technical walkways made of this material for use on roofs.

In terms of protection, Magnelis® performs up to ten times better than galvanised steel, and it outperforms coatings containing less magnesium. Thanks to the high durability and adhesion of the coating, the steel can be shaped using different forming methods including bending, drawing, and profiling.

Moreover, Magnelis® has a significantly lower environmental impact compared to other alternative materials, both in its production and during its service life.

Last but not least, it also offers greater freedom to optimise the design of the parts (thanks to the ability of Magnelis® to protect deformed shapes), the possibility of using a lower weight of Magnelis® coating (depending on environment) to obtain the same level of corrosion resistance, protection of flat and deformed surfaces as well as cut edges, and an optimised logistics chain thanks to its simpler production process.

Magnelis® is the best choice for a wide variety of applications. Its use is currently expanding towards other applications in a variety of sectors, such as:

•     road safety barriers
•     applications in the agricultural sector, including materials for the construction of chicken coops, greenhouses, ventilation systems, vineyard poles, etc.
•     industrial equipment, such as cable trays, cooling towers, etc.
•     tubes and profiles for building and construction applications

In line with ArcelorMittal’s commitment to offering products with a low CO2 footprint, Magnelis® produced in Asturias will also be available under the XCarb® recycled and renewably produced brand and with XCarb® green steel certificates.

Text:
ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Constructalia

Images:
© ArcelorMittal, Alusín Solar