Zinc : What is galvanizing?
Behind the rollout of renewable energy and power grids lies physical infrastructure that has to withstand outdoor conditions for decades at a time. Steel plays a central part here, yet its longevity often hinges on how well it is protected against corrosion. This is where zinc comes in.
Accounting for 60% of global zinc consumption, galvanizing is the metal's leading application and contributes significantly to protecting the many energy installations exposed to corrosion [2].
This use, long-established yet still widespread, remains a key feature of countless modern structures, from solar mounting frames to electricity pylons.
What is galvanizing?
Galvanizing is a method for shielding steel from corrosion. It involves coating the surface of the steel with a layer of zinc in order to limit its direct exposure to the elements responsible for oxidation. The most common technique is hot-dip galvanizing (HDG), which consists of immersing fabricated steel in a bath of molten zinc. The iron in the steel then reacts metallurgically with the liquid zinc to form an alloyed coating, firmly bonded to the surface of the metal, that delivers lasting protection against corrosion [1].
This process differs from a simple surface coating. During immersion in the molten zinc, several layers of zinc-iron alloys form progressively at the interface with the steel. The outcome is a coating integrated into the base metal rather than one merely laid on top of it. This metallurgical bond partly explains the mechanical strength of the coating, particularly when galvanized parts are subjected to impacts, handling, weathering or industrial environments.
The protection that galvanizing provides rests on two complementary mechanisms:
Barrier protection: the zinc layer creates a physical separation between the steel and its surroundings. It limits direct contact with oxygen, moisture and certain corrosive agents such as sulfides and carbonates, which sharply slows the reactions that cause rust [2].
Sacrificial protection: zinc is more reactive than iron. When a scratch or a cut locally exposes the steel, the zinc around the damaged area corrodes first. This reaction keeps protecting the underlying steel even when the coating is no longer perfectly intact [2].
This twofold defence explains why galvanizing is so widely adopted for infrastructure left out in the open. It does not make steel indestructible, but it can considerably extend its service life by slowing the pace of corrosion.
In that sense, galvanizing is more than an anti-corrosion treatment. It is also a way of designing more durable infrastructure, by cutting down on the need for replacement, frequent upkeep and on-site work.
Zinc, the world's 4th metal — and galvanizing is its main use
This process is so effective and so common that it alone accounts for the bulk of global zinc consumption. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), zinc is the fourth most produced and consumed metal in the world, after iron, aluminum and copper. Its annual market value is estimated at around USD 40 billion, and close to 60% of the zinc used globally goes into galvanizing steel [7].
Natural Resources Canada confirms this breakdown for 2024 as well. Galvanizing stands by far as the leading use of zinc, ahead of alloys, chemical compounds, brass and bronze [3]. This concentration of uses explains why zinc demand stays closely tied to the need for durable steel, especially across construction, infrastructure, transport and energy.
Table 1 — Global breakdown of zinc uses in 2024
| Use | Global share (2024) |
|---|---|
| Galvanizing | 60 % |
| Zinc alloys | 15 % |
| Zinc compounds | 11 % |
| Brass and bronze | 9 % |
| Semi-manufactures | 4 % |
| Other | 1 % |
Galvanizing at the heart of renewable infrastructure
The energy transition depends on visible technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines and batteries, but it also relies on far less conspicuous physical infrastructure. These structures have to be built, connected, supported and maintained over several decades. Within that picture, steel remains a central material, notably for support frames, towers, pylons and grid equipment. When these structures face the weather, moisture or corrosive environments, galvanizing becomes an important way to prolong their service life.
Wind power — a technology mostly made of steel
A wind turbine is made up of a tower, a nacelle and blades. The tower, which forms the main structure, is generally built from tubular steel and stays exposed to the elements throughout its lifespan. That exposure grows even tougher in marine settings, where saltwater and sea spray speed up corrosion.
According to the World Steel Association, steel makes up on average 80% of all the materials that go into building a wind turbine, and roughly 85% of the turbines installed worldwide rest on tubular steel structures [6]. Put differently, wind power leans heavily on steel, which reinforces the value of anti-corrosion solutions such as galvanizing or zinc metallization, particularly in exposed environments.
To illustrate the scale of this reliance:
A single 10 MW offshore wind turbine requires 4 tonnes of zinc, largely for the anti-corrosion protection of structures facing harsh marine conditions [4].
Monopile foundations, driven into the seabed, are exposed to salty seawater, one of the most corrosive environments there is. Galvanizing, paired with other protective systems, is essential to their durability over 25 to 30 years.
Solar — fully galvanized mounting structures
Solar energy likewise depends on physical steel infrastructure, often overshadowed in public conversation by the photovoltaic cells themselves. Yet it is the racking systems that hold the panels in place at ground level for decades, constantly subjected to rainfall, temperature swings and humidity.
To put the quantities in concrete terms: a 100 MW solar farm — enough to power roughly 110,000 homes — requires 240 tonnes of zinc to protect its mounting infrastructure from corrosion [4]. These metal frames are frequently made of galvanized steel, precisely because they have to endure decades of outdoor exposure without meaningful replacement or upkeep.
Power grids — infrastructure essential to the transition
Renewable energy sources can only fulfil their purpose if they are connected to consumers. That calls for strengthening and extending power grids, with thousands of kilometres of lines, pylons and substations exposed to frost, rainfall and at times salt-laden air.
To meet national climate targets, the International Energy Agency estimates that global investment in power grids will have to nearly double by 2030, surpassing USD 600 billion per year [8]. The IEA also points out that more than 3,000 GW of renewable energy projects are currently waiting for a grid connection, the equivalent of five times the wind and solar capacity added in 2022 [8].
Pylons, support structures, substations and other grid-related equipment all represent applications where corrosion-protected steel can play an important role. As such, the expansion of power grids indirectly helps sustain the relevance of zinc and galvanizing within energy transition infrastructure.
Further reading:
The durability of galvanized zinc: a life-cycle advantage
Beyond its technical function, hot-dip galvanizing also carries an environmental benefit tied to its longevity. By shielding steel from corrosion over long periods, it can lower the need to maintain, repair or replace structures.
Life-cycle assessment (LCA) makes it possible to gauge this kind of impact more fully. The approach examines the environmental effects of a product or process at various stages, from raw material extraction through to end of life, taking in manufacturing, use, maintenance and recycling along the way. In the case of hot-dip galvanizing, LCA highlights a favourable profile whenever anti-corrosion protection avoids repeated maintenance cycles over the structure's lifespan [10].
In practical terms, hot-dip galvanized steel can go without upkeep for 70 years or more in most environments. Its two components, zinc and steel, are both recyclable at end of life [9]. This blend of longevity, low maintenance and recyclability explains why galvanizing can offer an environmental benefit across the full life cycle, despite the impacts associated with its initial production [10].
By the numbers: galvanizing compared with paint over 60 years
Comparative studies help illustrate this advantage. An LCA covering a galvanized structure and a painted one, assessed over 60 years, shows that the total primary energy demand of the galvanized structure reaches 23,700 MJ, or 30.5 MJ/kg. By comparison, the painted structure requires 64,700 MJ, or 83.2 MJ/kg. In this case, the galvanized structure therefore represents 37% of the primary energy needed by the painted version, mainly because the latter has to be maintained several times over the period studied [9].
A second case study, focused on a parking structure analyzed over the same 60-year span, yields a similar result. The total energy and resource consumption of the galvanized version corresponds to 32% of that of the painted one. The Global Warming Potential (GWP), for its part, comes to 38% of the figure linked to paint [9].
Conclusion
Hot-dip galvanizing is a reminder that the energy transition does not rest solely on generation or storage technologies, but also on the durability of the infrastructure that underpins them. Roughly 60% of the zinc used worldwide is devoted to this application [3], while demand for galvanized steel keeps rising across several industrial sectors.
Thanks to its longevity, galvanized steel helps reduce the need for maintenance and replacement. Zinc thus holds a quiet but structuring place in the rollout of reliable, long-lasting energy infrastructure.
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References
[1]: American Galvanizers Association. "What Is Galvanizing?" American Galvanizers Association, 2017, https://galvanizeit.org/hot-dip-galvanizing/what-is-galvanizing.
[2]: International Lead and Zinc Study Group. The World Zinc Factbook 2024. International Lead and Zinc Study Group, 2024, https://www.ilzsg.org/wp-content/uploads/SitePDFs/The%20World%20Zinc%20Factbook%202024.pdf.
[3]: Natural Resources Canada. "Zinc Facts." Minerals and Metals Facts, Government of Canada, 2026, https://natural-resources.canada.ca/minerals-mining/mining-data-statistics-analysis/minerals-metals-facts/zinc-facts.
[4]: International Zinc Association. "Renewable Energy – Zinc's Value Proposition." Zinc.org, International Zinc Association, 2023, https://www.zinc.org/renewable-energy/.
[6]: World Steel Association. "Wind Energy: Environmental Case Study." worldsteel.org, World Steel Association, 2008, https://www.steel.org.au/getattachment/80464658-3965-4f09-89b1-f3fa59fca517/worldsteel-Wind-energy-environmental-case-study.pdf.
[7]: Baskaran, Gracelin, and Meredith Schwartz. "Rebuilding U.S. Zinc Capacity in an Era of Global Competition." Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), 2025, https://www.csis.org/analysis/rebuilding-us-zinc-capacity-era-global-competition.
[8]: International Energy Agency. Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions. IEA, 2023, https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/71225670-5118-4133-9f0f-930209ad38dc/ElectricityGridsandSecureEnergyTransitions.pdf.
[9]: American Galvanizers Association. Hot-Dip Galvanizing for Sustainable Design. American Galvanizers Association, 2017, https://galvanizeit.org/uploads/publications/HDGforSD_new1web.pdf.
[10]: American Galvanizers Association. "Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)." American Galvanizers Association, 2020, https://galvanizeit.org/hot-dip-galvanized-steel-for-transportation/environmental-advantages/life-cycle-assessment-lca.
