Steel-making giant successfully tests green hydrogen at plant...

Steel-making giant successfully tests green hydrogen at plant (copyright link)

ArcelorMittal has successfully tested the use of green hydrogen to reduce iron ore at one of its industrial sites in Canada, in what the world’s second-largest steel maker claims is a milestone for the industry.

The Luxembourg-based company has so far invested $US5.6 billion ($7.9 billion) in four such projects, in Spain, Belgium, Canada and France. In Europe, Arcelor has committed to reducing its CO2 emissions by 35 per cent by 2030.

An alternative route is direct-reduced iron, whereby natural gas is used to remove oxygen from iron ore pellets. The solid intermediate, called sponge iron, is then melted in an electric arc furnace. The process currently requires natural gas, but industry experts believe that once the use of hydrogen made from renewable sources is scaled up, it could mark a revolution in steelmaking.