Energy savings in the metal industry
In steelworks, foundries and metalworking plants, energy is one of the largest costs, and power quality directly affects furnaces, drives and motors. We optimise voltage, filter harmonics and protect processes against micro-interruptions, and the saving goes into the contract.
Energy challenges in the sector
Grid losses and unstable voltage
Voltage fluctuations and excess voltage increase losses in the installation and strain heavy motors and furnaces.
Harmonics from furnaces and drives
Induction and arc furnaces, rectifiers and drives distort the current. Harmonics overheat cables, transformers and motors and increase reactive power demand.
Voltage dips that stop drives
A short voltage dip can trip variable-speed drives and stop a line, and every restart costs time and material.
Measured results
Measured energy savings at metal and mining sites running the technology we offer:
Trafileria Carlo Casati · wire drawing
11.0% energy saving
Sibelco Italia · mining
7.8% energy saving
Fresia Alluminio · aluminium
7.5% energy saving
ArcelorMittal · steel
6.3% energy saving
ArcelorMittal: 6.3% saving, 2.8-year payback, 1,850 t less CO₂ a year. Better power quality for the arc furnaces, zero unplanned downtime from power issues and ICO-M integration.
The technology is also used by Marcegaglia and Tenaris.
Frequently asked questions
Does voltage optimisation work in a plant full of drives?
Partly. Motors on variable-speed drives regulate their own supply, so the saving comes mainly from the rest of the installation: fixed-speed motors, lighting and auxiliary equipment. That is why we measure how much of the load responds to voltage before we make an offer.
Can harmonics from induction furnaces be filtered?
Yes. The ICO-FA active filter measures the current continuously and compensates harmonics from the 3rd to the 13th order, keeping THDi below 5%. It also compensates reactive power and can rebalance the phases.
How quickly does the investment pay back?
Typically in 2–4 years. In documented heavy-industry projects, payback was 2.8 years (ArcelorMittal).