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Fortescue
Metso
- 19th Nov 2025
- 27th Sep 2024
- 1,500 tonnes green iron annually
- US$50 million
Under construction
In September 2024, Fortescue commenced construction works at its Green Metal Project at its Christmas Creek site in the Pilbara, Western Australia. First production is anticipated in 2025.
The plant will use green hydrogen produced at Fortescue’s hydrogen facility, along with an electric smelting furnace to produce high purity green metal. This product will be suitable for use in almost any steel plant.
In November 2025 Fortescue announced it would use Metso's CircoredTM ironmaking process for this project, with first Metso equipment already installed.
-
DRI + ESF
Green
Green H2 production
Green
-
Rio Tinto
Metso
University of Nottingham
- 17th Nov 2025
- 17th Nov 2025
- Pilot used batches of 1,000 golf ball-sized iron ore & biomass briquettes
- Rio to spend US$143 million
Paused
BioIronTM: Rio Tinto's ironmaking technology that uses raw biomass instead of metallurgical coal as a reductant, and microwave energy to convert Pilbara iron ore to metallic iron in the steelmaking process. This process would require CCS to be free of emissions.
The project small-scale pilot was reported a success in Nov 2022 after 18 months of testing.
Rio announced in June 2024 it would build a facility in WA including a pilot plant, with expected commissioning 2026.
In November 2025 Rio paused BioIron pilot plans as it "requires additional development to minimise technical risks and optimise its performance".
-
Ironmaking using biomass
Low Carbon
-
Rio Tinto
Calix
- 17th Nov 2025
- 12th Dec 2025
- 30,000t DRI annually
- A$44.9m ARENA grant, A$35m from Rio Tinto
Pilot
Rio Tinto signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) in November 2025 with Calix to support the construction of Calix’s Zero Emissions Steel Technology (Zesty™) demonstration plant.
The demonstration plant will be built at a site in Kwinana, Western Australia, that was earmarked for Rio Tinto’s BioIron pilot (now on pause).
Calix's Zesty technology uses electric heating and hydrogen reduction to produce green iron, aiming to lower costs through minimising hydrogen consumption. Zesty pilot-scale trials have proven its ability to produce iron from a range of iron ore types and grades.
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-
POSCO
BHP
- 30th Oct 2025
- 3rd Oct 2024
- Demonstration plant: 300,000 tonnes annually
- Not disclosed
Pilot
HyREX: POSCOs ironmaking technology that uses hydrogen to convert fine iron ore into DRI. The iron is then charged into an electric smelting furnace.
HyREX uses fluidized bed reduction reactor technology known as FINEX. The technology is suitable for more than half of the globally available iron ore grades, meaning it can potentially replace blast furnaces.
POSCO started designing a pilot plant with Primetals in Aug 2022, and opened a 24t/day pilot plant in June 2024.
The next phase involves building an industrial-scale demonstration plant. In September 2024 POSCO signed an agreement with Primetals to build this. More recently in October 2025, POSCO signed an agreement with BHP to collaborate on this project. Construction is set to begin soon and commissioning is expected in 2028, one year later than originally announced.
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-
TATA Steel
TATA Steel Netherlands
- 2nd Oct 2025
- 17th Oct 2025
- Not disclosed
- Dutch government to provide €2bn ($2.1bn)
In July 2022, TATA Steel Netherlands announced decarbonisation plans for its Ijmuiden steelworks - a DRI installation using green H2 for 2030. The site reportedly planned to use direct connection to an offshore wind farm to produce hydrogen on site.
In April 2025, the company initiated the consultation phase for the transformation programme. In October 2025, the company announced it will receive €2bn in funding from the Dutch government and signed a non-binding Joint Letter of Intent (JLoI) for the first phase of transition.
The first phase involves decommissioning existing Blast Furnace #7 and constructing a DRI plant which will run on gas. Unlike originally planned, hydrogen will not be used until "economically available at scale".
-
DRI + EAF with gas
Low Carbon
-
SSAB
- 28th Sep 2025
- 17th Oct 2025
- 40,000 tonnes in 2023, 100,000 tonnes by 2025
- Not disclosed
Commercial
SSAB Zero™: SSAB's zero emissions steel brand made using recycled steel and fossil-free electricity. It was first launched in March 2023.
In September 2025, the company announced it was the first steelmaker globally to meet the strict thresholds of the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the First Movers Coalition (FMC).
-
-
Voestalpine Group
Rio Tinto
Primetals
Mitsubishi Corp
- 25th Sep 2025
- 17th Oct 2025
- 3 tons/hr
- Not disclosed
Under construction
Hy4Smelt: Voestalpine's fossil-free steelmaking technology that uses Primetals Technologies’ HYFOR ironmaking process and Smelter solutions. HYFOR does not require any agglomeration steps and the process can use low grade ores.
Companies first signed an MoU in December 2022 for designing and engineering an industrial-scale prototype plant at the voestalpine site in Austria. Fortescue was part of this and was to provide knowledge and iron ore.
Voestalpine announced in April 2024 it had successfully produced wire rod with hydrogen-reduced iron and scrap at its HYFOR plant.
In April 2025, Companies signed a cooperation agreement with Rio aiming to develop a demonstration-scale project in Linz beginning in 2027. Fortescue no longer appears to be involved in this project. Rio will supply 70% of iron ore requirements to the project. Construction was commenced in September 2025.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
Government of Spain
- 25th Sep 2025
- 6th Oct 2025
- 1.6 million tonnes steel annually
- Not disclosed
Unclear
ArcelorMittal's decarbonisation plans for its Sestao plant in Spain.
First announced in July 2021, the original plan involved switching from scrap use in the existing EAFs to green iron produced at it's proposed plant in Gijón, and powering operations with renewables. Expected completion was 2025, and the Spanish Government committed €1 billion towards the Sestao and Gijón plans.
Now, with green iron plans paused indefinitely, ArcelorMittal contracted Danieli in September 2025 for some upgrades to increase productivity on the existing EAFs.
-
-
JFE Steel
Ehime University
- 24th Sep 2025
- 17th Oct 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
JFE Steel has begun testing a CO2 fixation method at its R&D facility.
Working with Ehime University, the process involves Injecting CO2 into high-temperature steelmaking slag - a byproduct of steel production. This rapidly fixes CO2 as carbonate by reacting it with calcium oxide in the slag.
It's unclear what the CO2 abatement potential or scale of this project is.
-
-
SSAB
- 19th Sep 2025
- 7th Oct 2025
- 2.5 million tonnes steel annually
- EUR 4.5 billion (Including a EUR 125M grant)
Under construction
In April 2024, SSAB’s Board of Directors made the decision to build a fossil-free mini-mill, consisting of two EAFs, in Luleå, Sweden.
The EAFs will be supplied with a mix of fossil free sponge iron from the Hybrit demonstration plant and recycled scrap.
A grant from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth was announced in December 2024.
SSAB announced construction commencing in September 2025. Startup, original scheduled for the end of 2028, is now expected at the end of 2029.
-
-
POSCO
CSIRO
- 16th Sep 2025
- 6th Oct 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
POSCO has signed an MoU with Australia's Commonwealth and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
The five-year agreement will involve joint research on 'carbon-reduced' ironmaking technologies. The partnership will involve regular communication, knowledge sharing and joint research projects.
-
-
Ansteel
- 7th Sep 2025
- 6th Oct 2025
- Pilot capacity: 10,000 tons DRI annually
- Not disclosed
Pilot test completed
Pilot
Ansteel announced in September 2025 that it had successfully completed the full-process commissioning of pilot green iron production line, which is based on renewable energy and green hydrogen.
The pilot, located at its plant in Bayuquan, was reported successful with a metallisation rate of 95%.
Ansteel reportedly plans to promote an industrial-scale demonstration project with a capacity of 500,000 tons per year, though no further details were disclosed.
-
DRI/HBI with H2
Green
Green H2 production
Green
-
Thyssenkrupp
PGS
- 1st Sep 2025
- 3rd Nov 2025
- 1.4GW hydrogen electrolyser
- Not disclosed
Thyssenkrupp nucera, Thyssenkyrupp subsidiary, announced it will supply green iron start-up PGS with electrolysers for green H2 production.
PGS has a green iron project near Geraldton in Western Australia, where it amis to produce 7 million tonnes of green iron annually.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
BHP
ArcelorMittal
Nippon Steel
Mitsui & Co
Hyundai
Chevron
- 11th Aug 2025
- 18th Aug 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Companies announced the formation of an industry consortium and conduct a pre-feasibility study to assess the development of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) hubs across Asia.
Each participant in the study will be included in at least one hub, and the study will deliver conceptual development strategies including cost and schedule estimates, and potential commercialisation pathways for each hub.
The study is expected to conclude at the end of 2026, and findings will be shared publicly.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
- 29th Jul 2025
- 18th Aug 2025
- Not disclosed
- ArcelorMittal invested US$5 million
R&D
In September 2024, ArcelorMittal invested $5 million in start-up Utility Global through its XCarb Innovation Fund.
Utility Global has developed H2Gen - a patented reactor that processes industrial gases into hydrogen and CO2. This technology could potentially lower steelmaking emissions by replacing natural gas with hydrogen and simplifying carbon capture.
In July 2025 ArcelorMittal announced it is exploring the use of this technology at it Brazil facility. While timelines are unclear, Utility Global is reportedly conducting early engineering work for the installation.
-
-
Fortescue
- 24th Jul 2025
- 18th Aug 2025
- 11,000 tonnes of liquified green H2 annually
- US$550 million, including the purchase price of US$24 million
Cancelled
In July 2023 Fortescue acquired a 100 per cent interest in Phoenix Hydrogen Hub, LLC (PHH).
The project was approved by the board in November 2023, with start-up expected mid-2026.
The facility was launched in May 2024, with construction commencing. The facility is now named Buckeye.
In July 2025 Fortescue announced it will not proceed with this project.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
Fortescue
- 24th Jul 2025
- 18th Aug 2025
- Up to 50MW
- AU$150 million
Cancelled
In September 2024, Fortescue began construction of its PEM50 green hydrogen project in Gladstone, Queensland.
The two-stage 50 megawatt (MW) project reached financial close at the start of 2024, with hydrogen production to commence in 2025.
The first stage is a 30MW electrolyser plant and the second will include the installation of another 20MW of capacity in 2028, though this depends on upgrades to water supply infrastructure.
In July 2025, Fortescue announced it will not proceed with the project.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
Voestalpine Group
VERBUND
Siemens
Austrian Power Grid
K1-MET
TNO (NL)
- 8th Jul 2025
- 26th Aug 2025
- Currently ~6MW capacity
- €18 million total (€12M from the EU)
Pilot
H2FUTURE: voestalpine's green H2 project. A pilot facility commenced operation in Linz in 2019 to test whether the technology is suitable for use on an industrial scale.
The pilot facility is still operational, and the company announced in 2025 that plans were underway to expand to include a compression and purification system and five hydrogen storage tanks.
Expansions are currently being installed, with tests expected to begin in January 2026 and the first research results expected at the end of 2026. The project will end in December 2029.
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Green H2 production
Green
-
JFE Steel
Danieli
- 25th Jun 2025
- 25th Jun 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
JFE Bars and Shapes, subsidiary of JFE Steel, announced it will modernise its EAF at Mizushima.
The company will overhaul the old EAF and install a new system procured from Danieli, aiming to reduce power consumption and increase productivity. The new system is scheduled to start in 2028.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
- 23rd Jun 2025
- 4th Apr 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Unclear
In Feb 2022, the French Government announced it would support ArcelorMittal in decarbonising its Fos-sur-Mer by building an EAF to replace one of the two BFs at the site.
The EAF was scheduled to start operation in 2027. However, the project was placed on pause in Nov 2024, with ArcelorMittal citing unfavourable policy and market conditions.
In March 2025, the company halted Fos-sur-Mer production for some maintenance, then signalled in June it would invest €53 million in modernising its BF.
This investment signals the company's intention to continue blast furnace steelmaking for some years yet, and put decarbonisation plans on hold.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
German Government
- 20th Jun 2025
- 4th Jul 2025
- 3.8 million tonnes crude steel annually
- German government to grant €1.3 billion
Cancelled
It was announced in Feb 2024 that ArcelorMittal would receive the direct grant from Berlin to construct one DRI plant and three EAFs across two of its steel plants in Bremen and Eisenhüttenstadt.
The new infrastructure will replace two of the three BFs operating at ArcelorMittal’s two sites, and two of the four BOFs.
Operations will commence in 2026, with the new units producing a combined 3.8 million tonnes of crude steel per year.
The company announced in October 2024 that it had received an electrolyser at its Bremen site, which will be used to produce green H2.
In November 2024, ArcelorMittal announced the delay of FID on several of its decarbonisation projects in Europe due to unfavourable market and policy conditions.
In June 2025, the company confirmed it had dropped conversion plans because the country's energy costs were too high.
-
DRI/HBI with H2
Green
EAF
Green
-
ArcelorMittal
Lanzatech
- 18th Jun 2025
- 23rd Dec 2024
- 80 million litres of advanced ethanol annually
- €200 million
Pilot
Steelanol: CCUS technology designed to capture waste gases from steelmaking and biologically convert them into advanced ethanol through LanzaTech’s bio-based process.
The pilot facility was inaugurated in Ghent, Belgium in Dec 2022. The first ethanol samples were then announced Jun 2023, and the facility reportedly reached full capacity in November 2023.
In December 2024, ethanol volumes reached a significant enough level to support large-scale shipping, with first shipment leaving earlier in the month.
It has the potential to reduce annual carbon emissions from the Ghent plant by 125,000 tonnes, which is less than 2% of the Ghent plant total emissions.
In June 2025, ArcelorMittal announced it is considering closing down the facility due to EU regulations being 'restrictive and unsupportive', making the CCUS operations financially unsustainable.
-
-
BHP
Rio Tinto
BlueScope Steel
Woodside Energy
- 17th Jun 2025
- 6th Mar 2024
- Pilot to produce 30,000-40,000 tonnes of iron annually.
- AU$48.8 million for pilot including AU$19.8m grant. WA Gov also to provide AU$75 million.
R&D
Rio Tinto, BHP and BlueScope have partnered to produce a pilot electric smelting furnace (ESF).
Rio Tinto and BlueScope originally partnered in Oct 2021, and BHP joined the partnership in February 2024.
Under the agreement, companies were to consolidate the work each party has completed to date. Several locations were to be considered for the pilot, which could have been commissioned in 2027.
In December 2024, the Kwinana Industrial Area was selected as the pilot location, with the project named NeoSmelt. Woodside energy also joined as an equal equity participant and supplier of gas for the pilot.
A decision to enter feasibility studies is expected in Q2 2025, with final investment decision (FID) for the pilot plant targeted in 2026, and operations expected to begin in 2028.
In June 2025, it was announced that NeoSmelt would receive a $19.8m grant for the pilot. The timeline for FID and pilot commencement remains unchanged.
-
-
POSCO
- 2nd Jun 2025
- 16th Jun 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
POSCO announced it has opened a new R&D centre in Perth Australia.
The centre reportedly aims to strengthen POSCO's capabilities in the production of cost-effective low-carbon steelmaking, efficient processing of lithium and nickel, as well as establishing collaborative projects with local colleges, resource companies and research institutions.
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-
Nippon Steel
- 1st Jun 2025
- 25th Oct 2024
- Combined production of 2.9 million tons annually
- US$6.05 billion + US$1.76 billion in government funding.
post FID
In May 2023, Nippon Steel decided to start studies to shift from BF to EAF steelmaking.
NSC set up a small EAF (with a capacity of 10 tons) in the Hasaki Research and Development Center of R&D Laboratories.
In October 2024, NSC announced it would apply for Government support for the conversion to EAF steelmaking in select locations.
Specific plans are to convert the BF to a 2mtpa EAF in the Kyushu Works Yawata Area, to expand the EAF in the Setouchi Works Hirohata Area, and to resume EAF operations at NSSC’s Yamaguchi Works (Shunan Area).
In June 2025 NSC announced it would proceed with EAF investments after confirmation of government funding. The investments will increase the company's EAF steelmaking capacity by 2.9 mtpa and are expected to commence operation by 2029.
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-
JFE Steel
Nippon Steel
KOBELCO
University of Tokyo
- 19th May 2025
- 18th Aug 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
A consortium of 17 Japanese organsations has launched a program, named Materials for Future Energy Infrastructure Trust (MEIT), aimed at 'scientifically evaluating and standardizing the reliability of materials used in energy-related infrastructure that is needed for a carbon-neutral society'.
MEIT will be led by classification society ClassNK, Kobe Steel, JFE Steel Corporation and Nippon Steel, in collaboration with the University of Tokyo. Joint research began on May 1, 2025, and is anticipated to be wrapped up by the end of April 2030.
The program focuses on technology creation and standardisation for ammonia and hydrogen tanks, as well as CO2 tanks, pipelines and storage (CCS).
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-
ArcelorMittal
- 15th May 2025
- 16th Jun 2025
- Not disclosed
- €1.2 billion
post FID
In August 2023, The European Commission has approved state aid for transforming ArcelorMittal's Dunkirk site. The project involves the replacement of two blast furnaces and two basic oxygen furnaces, with a 2.5 million tonnes per year capacity direct reduced iron plant and two electric arc furnaces.
The new technology is expected to come online in 2026, though may initially run on natural gas and gradually phase this out.
In November 2024, ArcelorMittal announced the delay of FID on several low carbon steelmaking projects in Europe due to unfavourable market and policy conditions.
In May 2025 ArcelorMittal confirmed it would invest in a first EAF at Dunkirk, though the DRI production was not mentioned in this new announcement.
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-
POSCO
LG Chem
- 7th May 2025
- 16th Jun 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
POSCO announced it would form a steel CCU consortium with LG Chem and participate in a carbon capture project promoted by the Ministry of Science.
Pohang steelworks is the proposed site of the project and source of CO2, with aims to begin a demonstration project in 2026 after feasibility studies this year.
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-
Rio Tinto
HBIS Group
- 25th Mar 2025
- 4th Apr 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Companies signed an MoU, which focuses on exploring solutions to decarbonize the blast furnace steel production by optimising furnace feed mixtures and improving the energy efficiency.
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-
JFE Steel
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical
Mitsubishi Chemical
- 25th Mar 2025
- 30th Apr 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Companies have signed an MoU for a demonstration project at the Mizushima Complex, which aims to produce methanol from by-product gases emitted during steel manufacturing. This methanol will then be used to produce propylene - a key raw material for plastics. The project is set to begin in FY2026.
JFE Steel will supply by-product gases, which Mitsubishi Gas Chemical will use to produce methanol at a new plant. Mitsubishi Chemical will evaluate the methanol's compatibility with their propylene production technology.
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-
Vale
HBIS Group
- 20th Mar 2025
- 4th Apr 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
MoU signed to promote steel value chain decarbonisation.
The two companies will reportedly work to identify optimal burden solutions for the low-carbon transition, and explore the feasibility of using the Tecnored furnace to treat solid waste and extract valuable metals.
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-
SSAB
Vattenfall
LKAB
- 2nd Mar 2025
- 30th Apr 2025
- 1.35 million tonnes DRI annually
- Not disclosed
Pilot test completed
HYBRIT: founded in 2016 short for Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology, uses green H2 in the reduction process.
The fossil free steel will enter commercial production in 2026 in Luleå, Sweden.
In November 2023, SSAB submitted its application for the transformation of operations.
Then in September 2024 Hybrit completed 6 years of pilot testing. Trials were reported successful and ready for industrial scale operations.
In March 2024, Hybrit completed a pilot hydrogen storage project and reported it successful, with possibility to achieve savings of 25-40% on its production. The 100 m3 hydrogen storage facility used for the trial was built using rock caverns with steel lining.
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-
SSAB
U.S. Department of Energy
- 17th Jan 2025
- 26th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- U.S. Dept of Energy to provide up to US$500 million
Cancelled
In March 2024, SSAB was selected for funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for a potential construction of a HYBRIT manufacturing facility in the US.
The project will also explore the potential to expand capacity and capability at SSAB’s operations in Iowa, including increased use of renewable energy.
SSAB announced in January 2025 that it had pulled out of negotiations to finance the US green steel plant.
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-
Vale
Saudi Arabia NIDC
- 17th Jan 2025
- 7th Mar 2025
- Up to 12 million tons DRI annually
- Not disclosed
R&D
Vale signed an agreement in 2022 with local authorities to study feasibility of a green megahub in Ras Al-Khair Industrial City, Saudi Arabia.
Vale will supply iron ore fines and then beneficiate them into pellet-feed concentrates in plants it builds and operates within the megahub. The megahub is intended to produce green steel for local, regional and international markets.
In Jan 2025, Vale signed an agreement with the Jubail and Yanbu Royal Commissions to reserve land for the megahub.
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-
Thyssenkrupp
Voestalpine Group
- 14th Jan 2025
- 7th Mar 2025
- Not disclosed
- €3.5 million total, including €1.8 million European research grant
Pilot
Thyssenkrupp AT.PRO tec, a subsidiary of Thyssenkrupp Materials Services, received a €1.8 million European research grant for a blast furnace decarbonization project. Research partners will also make contributions to a total of €3.5 million.
The project aims to develop a hydrogen injection method and will be completed in 2028. The grant was provided by the EU Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS).
Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe will provide industrial-scale laboratory facilities for the project. The voestalpine Group, also a part of the consortium, will host one component of the research, a pilot helium injection process, at its Linz site.
-
BF with H2 injection
Low Carbon
-
Fortescue
China Baowu
- 8th Jan 2025
- 24th Jan 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Companies signed a MoU in June 2023 to explore lower emissions iron making at one of China Baowu’s operations in China.
Collaboration will explore using Fortescue iron ore and green hydrogen, iron ore beneficiation research and development, and collaboration opportunities in renewable energy and green hydrogen.
The companies then announced another MoU in January 2025, with the aim of accelerating the development of green iron technology and building a green iron supply chain.
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Vale
GreenIron
- 7th Jan 2025
- 24th Jan 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Vale has signed a MoU with Swedish firm GreenIron to develop initiatives aimed at decarbonizing the steel industry supply chain in Brazil and Sweden.
The agreement includes studying the feasibility of a direct reduction plant to be operated by GreenIron in Brazil and the supply of Vale's iron ore to GreenIron's operations in Sandviken, Sweden.
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-
JFE Steel
- 24th Dec 2024
- 24th Jan 2025
- 2 million tonnes steel annually
- JPY 329.4 billion (US$2.1B) including JPY 104.5 billion in government support.
Under construction
JFE Steel announced plans in November 2023 to replace its No. 2 blast furnace with a new electric arc furnace (EAF) at it's Kurashiki plant. It expects to commission the EAF around 2027.
In December 2024 it was announced that the project would receive government support.
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-
Nippon Steel
NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization)
- 20th Dec 2024
- 23rd Dec 2024
- Not disclosed
- JPY 238.6 billion provided by Green Innovation Fund
Pilot
Super COURSE50: Hydrogen Injection Technology into Blast Furnace.
Nippon has been conducting development test of Super COURSE50 in the test furnace (12m3) at the East Nippon Works Kimitsu Area since May 2022
In Aug 2023, Nippon Steel verified a 22% reduction in emissions in the 12m3 BF was possible. This was increased to a 33% reduction in Feb 2024. In December 2024, the company announced it had achieved a 43% reduction in the same test furnace.
Actual implementation is expected to be completed by around 2040.
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BF with H2 injection
Low Carbon
-
Vale
- 17th Dec 2024
- 23rd Dec 2024
- 1.5 Million tons briquettes annually
- US$3.8 million announced for first phase.
R&D
Vale has announced plans to build an iron ore briquette plant in Louisiana. The project will involve industrial-scale production of Vale’s iron ore briquette, customized for the direct reduced iron (DRI) route.
The plant’s intended capacity is 1.5 million tons per year, with the potential to expand. In the first phase throughout 2025, more than $3.8 million will be applied to conduct engineering studies and community engagement.
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POSCO
Hysata
- 13th Dec 2024
- 23rd Dec 2024
- Not disclosed
- POSCO invested US$11 million
R&D
In May 2024 POSCO and banking conglomerate Shinhan Financial Group invested a combined US$20 million in Hysata, an Australian green hydrogen technology startup.
Hysata is developing a highly efficient electrolyser that reduces the amount of electricity required to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen for the production of hydrogen.
In December 2024, POSCO and Hysata have signed a joint development agreement to take Hysata's green hydrogen technology to commercialisation.
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Green H2 production
Green
-
Vale
Electrified Thermal Solutions
- 13th Dec 2024
- 23rd Dec 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Vale announced it has invested in a Boston-based startup focused on developing solutions to decarbonize heat generation. Electrified Thermal Solutions owns technology for heating industrial furnaces through electricity, without using fossil fuels.
Vale invested to obtain a minority share, though the amount was not disclosed, in the Boston-based company as part of a $19 million round of funding for the tech firm.
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BHP
HBIS Group
- 4th Dec 2024
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- BHP's MoU investment was US$15 million over three years
Pilot
MoU signed Mar 2021 focused on hydrogen-based direct reduction technology, the recycling and reuse of steelmaking slag, and the role of iron ore lump utilisation to help reduce emissions from ironmaking and steelmaking.
A new agreement was signed in Mar 2023, and companies will trial pilot-scale demonstrations of carbon capture and utilisation technologies at HBIS’ steel operations in China.
Another new agreement was signed Dec 2023 to trial direct reduced iron (DRI) production aimed at lowering blast furnace carbon emissions.
A further agreement was signed December 2024 focusing on numerous technologies and aspects of decarbonisation.
-
CCUS
Limited
BF optimisation
Limited
DRI + BF
Low Carbon
-
ArcelorMittal
- 28th Nov 2024
- 7th Oct 2025
- 1.1 million tonnes steel
- €213 million
Under construction
ArcelorMittal's decarbonisation plans for it's Gijón plant in Spain.
First announced in July 2021, the company announced plans to build a DRI plant and a new EAF, and powering operations with renewables. Expected completion was 2025 and the Spanish Government committed €1 billion for these plans.
ArcelorMittal signed a contract in Nov 2023 with Sarralle to build the new EAF in Gijón. Construction commenced as of May 2024 and first production is expected Q1 2026.
However, in November 2024 ArcelorMittal postponed FID on the DRI plant.
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-
Rio Tinto
GravitHy
- 15th Nov 2024
- 18th Nov 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Agreement signed
Rio Tinto has entered into definitive agreements with GravitHy, under which Rio will supply high-grade direct reduction iron ore pellets from its Canada (IOC) operations to GravitHy’s planned operation. Rio will also manage the sales and marketing of the low emissions hot briquetted iron (HBI) that GravitHy produces.
GravitHy's proposed 2 million mtpa iron production facility at Fos-sur-Mer, France, will use green hydrogen produced on site. It is planned to be commissioned in 2028.
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TATA Steel
ECOLOG
- 14th Nov 2024
- 4th Dec 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Tata Steel Nederland and energy company ECOLOG are launching a project that will involve importing hydrogen from hydropower in Norway and exporting captured CO2 for storage.
The companies are starting a study into the economic feasibility of this hydrogen/CO2 trade corridor, though no further timelines are currently disclosed.
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Green H2 production
Green
CCS/CCUS
Limited
-
JFE Steel
- Nov 2024
- 13th Dec 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
JFE shut a blast furnace at its Keihin plant in Kawasaki, near Tokyo, in Sept 2023 and will convert the site into a supply base of hydrogen and a cluster of research and development centres.
JFE began dismantling work at the site in November 2024.
It is unclear whether this research will be conducted for green hydrogen production.
-
-
Vale
Jinnan
- 28th Oct 2024
- 1st Nov 2024
- Will produce 12.6 million tonnes of iron ore concentrate annually
- Vale to invest US$227 million, Jinnan to invest US$400 million
Agreement signed
Vale and Chinese steelmaker Jinnan Iron & Steel Group announced a joint investment in an iron ore concentration plant in Oman. The facility will be located in Sohar and is planned to commence operations in 2027.
The iron ore will be processed into a higher-quality concentrate for the production of premium pellets and/or briquettes, which could feed into a DRI process.
-
-
Rio Tinto
Nanjing Steel
- 25th Oct 2024
- 1st Nov 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Companies signed an MoU on decarbonising ironmaking technology. Technical teams from both companies will explore pelletizing using the Pilbara fines and the application of biomass.
-
Pelletisation
Green
Biomass use in BF
Low Carbon
-
TATA Steel
TATA UK
- 21st Oct 2024
- 7th Oct 2024
- 3.2 million tonnes steel annually
- £1.25 billion (including £500 million UK gov grant)
Agreement made on investment
In September 2023 Tata Steel announced it would invest £1.25bn, including a UK government grant up to £500m, in a new EAF at Port Talbot. This will replace existing BF's nearing the end of their lives.
This is expected to be operational by end of 2027 and will reduce UK's business & industry emissions by 7%, however 1000s of job losses are expected.
In May 2024, TATA Steel announced agreement with National Grid for the necessary power infrastructure for the EAF. The final final decommissioning of blast furnace 4 commenced in September 2024. TATA Steel announced in October 2024 that it has signed an agreement with Tenova for the EAF installation.
-
-
POSCO
- 17th Oct 2024
- 1st Nov 2024
- Not disclosed
- 20 trillion won (US$14.6 billion)
R&D
POSCO will invest 20 trillion won in a hydrogen based steelmaking project in Pohang city, including 3 DRI plants and an EAF.
This will receive financial support from the South Korean government. The government has also expedited the approval process by shortening administrative procedures by 11 months. Groundbreaking is now expected in June 2025.
-
DRI/HBI with H2
Green
EAF
Green
-
POSCO
- 17th Oct 2024
- 1st Nov 2024
- Not disclosed
- 40 trillion won (US$29.2 billion)
R&D
POSCO plans to build a DRI plant in Gwangyang based on its hydrogen-based Hyrex steelmaking technology. This is scheduled for completion by 2050.
-
-
POSCO
- 17th Oct 2024
- 1st Nov 2024
- Not disclosed
- 1 trillion won (US$730.4 million)
R&D
POSCO has announced it will spend US$730.4M on blue hydrogen projects.
-
-
Fortescue
State of Ceará
- 15th Oct 2024
- 18th Oct 2024
- 1.2 GW initial capacity
- BRL 17.5 billion ($3.11 billion)
R&D
Initial MoU was signed mid 2021 and amended in Nov 2022, which will see FFI prioritize the Pecém green H2 project and associated feasibility studies.
In October 2024, Fortescue received authorisation to commence construction. Operations are planned to begin in August 2028, and the capacity can potentially be expanded to 2.1GW.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
BHP
JSW Steel
Carbon Clean
- 10th Oct 2024
- 11th Oct 2024
- Up to 100,000 tonnes CO2 to be captured
- Not disclosed
Agreement signed
Companies have signed a joint study agreement, under which the companies will conduct joint studies on the feasibility of Carbon Clean’s CycloneCC modular technology to capture up to 100,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.
The joint studies should be completed in 2026, at which time the parties will consider installing CycloneCC at JSW Steel’s Vijayanagar site. If the project is successful, JSW Steel reportedly intends to liquefy captured CO2 in order to sell it locally.
-
-
BHP
Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)
- 7th Oct 2024
- 11th Oct 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
BHP and the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) have signed a MoU that will see the parties explore a number ways to decarbonise SAIL’s blast furnace steel plants. In particular, the companies will consider the role of alternate reductants for the blast furnace such as hydrogen and biochar use.
-
Biomass use in BF
Low Carbon
BF with H2 injection
Low Carbon
-
ArcelorMittal
- 3rd Oct 2024
- 7th Oct 2024
- Not disclosed
- €76m, including €15m support from the French government.
Operational
First announced in 2021, ArcelorMittal Fos-sur-Mer has commissioned a ladle furnace.
The ladle furnace is a steel reheating station in which enables higher amounts of scrap steel to be used. Once production is ramped up CO2 emissions of the site will be reduced by around 10%.
Construction was completed and the installation was inaugurated in September 2024.
-
-
Vale
Green Energy Park
- 2nd Oct 2024
- 2nd Oct 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
The two companies announced they will collaborate on a green hydrogen production facility in Brazil aimed at manufacturing low-carbon steel products. The aim is to construct a ‘Mega Hub’ industrial complex in Brazil for steel companies to source and produce hot-briquetted iron (HBI).
The companies will also collaborate on other aspects of the hydrogen value chain including the deployment of electrolysers and the design of industrial plants for green hydrogen.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
ArcelorMittal
Utility Global
- 25th Sep 2024
- 18th Nov 2024
- Not disclosed
- Arcelor invested US$5 million
R&D
ArcelorMittal has invested $5 million in Utility Global through its XCarb® Innovation Fund. Utility Global has developed a patented reactor which processes industrial process gases, without electricity, into hydrogen and a concentrated CO2 stream that can be captured and stored.
ArcelorMittal has also entered a collaboration agreement to accelerate commercial adoption, and is exploring opportunities to host pilot plants at its facilities.
-
-
JFE Steel
Petronas CCS Solutions
Japan Petroleum Exploration
JGC Holdings
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha
Mitsubishi Chemical
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical
The Chugoku Electric Power Co.
Japan Gas Line Co.
- 13th Sep 2024
- 25th Sep 2024
- Approx. 1.9 to 2.9 million tonnes CO2 annually
- Not disclosed
R&D
One of the nine CCS projects selected as part of Japan's "Advanced CCS Projects".
Emissions will be sourced from multiple industries in the Setouchi region and transported to offshore Sarawak, Malaysia (depleted offshore gas field) for storage.
In September 2024, the involved companies signed a contract with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) for the commissioning of design work related to the CCS project.
-
-
KOBELCO
Vale
- 4th Sep 2024
- 11th Sep 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Vale and KOBELCO owned MIDREX Technologies agreed to cooperate in advancing a technical solution for the use of Vale's iron ore briquettes in MIDREX direct reduction plants.
Test results have reportedly shown promising results. Once the technology has been successfully demonstrated, both partners plan to evaluate the creation of a joint venture to exclusively provide briquette technology and facilities to the market.
-
DRI
Low Carbon
Pelletisation
Green
-
Fortescue
- 16th Aug 2024
- 3rd Oct 2024
- 350kg H2 per day
- Not disclosed
Operational
Fortescue and Fabrum and energy and metals company have successfully commissioned Australia’s largest liquid hydrogen plant at Fortescue’s Green Energy Hub, in Christmas Creek, Western Australia.
The liquid hydrogen will be used in its Green Metal Project currently under construction, and also to power Fortescue’s zero-emissions mining equipment prototypes.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
TATA Steel
- 7th Aug 2024
- 6th Jun 2024
- EAF capacity of 3 million tonnes steel annually
- Dutch parliament has approved €3 billion in subsidies
R&D
TATA Steel Nederland plans to replace its largest BF (BF7) and a coke-making plant with an EAF by 2030. A DRI plant will also be installed, though scrap use is also planned to increase from 17% to 30%.
Initially announced in August 2022, the design process was to be undertaken by Energiron and Hatch.
In May 2024, it was announced that Tenova would be the technology provider undertaking the conversion. Following this, in June, €3 billion in state funds were approved by the Dutch parliament.
In August 2024, it was announced that Primetals would be installing a test installation for the pellet plant, to be complete mid-2025.
-
DRI/HBI with H2
Green
EAF
Green
Pelletisation
Green
-
JFE Steel
Japan Suiso Energy
- 2nd Aug 2024
- 16th Aug 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Agreement signed
Companies signed an agreement for 21ha of land on Ohgishima island, where JFE Steel operates its Keihin facility, for JSE's liquefied hydrogen project. JSE will construct demonstration facilities once buildings have been removed.
-
-
JFE Steel
JSW Steel
- 1st Aug 2024
- 16th Aug 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Pilot
JSW Steel and JFE Steel have commenced pilot demonstration of cloud-based Cyber-Physical System (CPS) technologies for blast furnace operations at JSW Steel Vijayanagar Works.
This will enable JSW Steel to reduce operational impediments at its blast furnaces and is expected to contribute to reduction of CO2 emissions in blast furnace operations.
-
-
BHP
ArcelorMittal
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
D-CRBN
- 18th Jul 2024
- 22nd Jul 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Pilot
This collaboration also involves Mitsubishi Development Pty Ltd, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering (MHEING).
The collaboration was initiated in October 2022 on a 1-2 year trial of MHIENG’s carbon capture technology.
A pilot carbon capture plant was launched in May 2024 at ArcelorMittal's blast furnace in Ghent. The pilot will operate for 1-2 years to test the feasibility before deploying at full-scale. BHP and Mitsubishi development will be funding the trial.
In July 2024, ArcelorMittal announced it is also trialling plasma technology for utilising the captured CO2. D-CBRN's technology converts the CO2 into carbon monoxide which can be fed back into the ironmaking process. The amount of CO2 utilised has not been disclosed.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
- 16th Jul 2024
- 31st Jul 2024
- Not disclosed
- Arcelor to give US$50,000 to each winner
ArcelorMittal selected three start-ups as the joint winners of its inaugural XCarb® India Accelerator Programme:
UrjanovaC is developing a CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage) technology which converts CO2 into useable by-products such as PCC (calcium carbonate) and soda ash (sodium carbonate)
AgroMorph Technosolutions is creating a modular, algae-based CCUS system designed to remove carbon from industrial flue gases and absorb nutrients from wastewater.
Susstains Engineering Solutions is developing technology that aims to offer biochar to the steel industry as a replacement for coal.
-
CCS/CCUS
Limited
Biomass use in BF
Low Carbon
-
Fortescue
NanoMalaysia
- 14th Jul 2024
- 22nd Jul 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Companies signed an MoU to determine opportunities for collaboration on research and development in Malaysia’s green hydrogen industry. The proposed collaboration between NMB and Fortescue also includes potentially working to develop Hydrogen Hubs in Malaysia.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
JFE Steel
Magnetite Mines
- 9th Jul 2024
- 12th Jul 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
JFE Shoji, group company of JFE Holdings, signed a heads of agreement with Magnetite Mines. Under the agreement, JFE Shoji will provide funding for a feasibility study on a South Australian iron ore project in return for DR-grade magnetite concentrate offtake rights of up to 10% over 15 years.
Both parties intend to sign a definitive agreement by 31 Jan 2025.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
Westfalen Gruppe
- 8th Jul 2024
- 31st Jul 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Westfalen Gruppe announced that it would build an electrolyser at ArceloMittal France's Florange plant. The electrolyser is scheduled to produce hydrogen from January 2026.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
Nippon Steel
INPEX
Kanto Natural Gas Development
- 5th Jul 2024
- 16th Aug 2024
- Approx. 1.4 million tonnes/year CO2 stored
- Not disclosed
R&D
One of the nine CCS projects selected as a "Japanese Advanced CCS Project".
Companies plan to capture emissions from NSC's East Japan Steel Works Kimitsu area and multiple industries in the Keiyo coastal industrial zone. CO2 will be transported via pipeline and stored Offshore (Chiba prefecture).
-
-
JFE Steel
ENEOS
Mitsubishi
JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration
Cosmo Oil
Petronas CCS Solutions
- 5th Jul 2024
- 16th Aug 2024
- Approx. 3 million tonnes/year CO2 stored
- Not disclosed
R&D
One of the nine CCS projects selected as part of Japan's "Advanced CCS Projects".
Companies will store emissions from multiple industries, including steel, in the Tokyo Bay coastal industrial complex. The planned storage area is Northeast offshore Malay Peninsula (depleted oil and gas fields).
-
-
TATA Steel
TATA Steel Netherlands
- 26th Jun 2024
- 2nd Jul 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Commercial
Zeremis Recycled: Tata Steel Netherlands steel has launched a product with an allocated 30% recycled content and contributing to a reduction of 0.2 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of steel.
-
-
JFE Steel
Emirates Steel Arkan
ITOCHU Corporation
- 25th Jun 2024
- 19th Feb 2024
- 2.5 million tonnes DRI annually
- Not disclosed
R&D
First announced in October 2022, Companies agreed to work together to carry out feasibility studies on the creation of a ferrous raw material steel hub at a project site in Abu Dhabi.
High grade iron ore will be imported into Abu Dhabi for the production of the ferrous raw material. This was initially expected to begin in the second half of 2025, but was revised in the most recent announcement. Companies will now start producing 2.5mn t/yr of direct reduced iron (DRI) in Abu Dhabi after 2027. The DRI will be supplied to JFE Steel, though the volume of this has not been disclosed.
-
DRI/HBI with gas
Low Carbon
CCUS
Limited
-
Vale
Ternium
- 16th Jun 2024
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Signed an MoU in August 2021 working towards feasibility studies for an iron ore briquetting plant at Ternium facility in Brazil.
Companies will also be using Tecnored, HYL (a low carbon DR technology developed by Ternium in Mexico) and other technologies for iron reduction.
In June 2024, Vale and Ternium announced a briquette plant is to be built in Santa Cruz. This project has received an accelerated approval procedure from the Rio de Janeiro state environmental authority (INEA), needing a simplified environmental report instead of the traditional one.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
ZF
- 14th Jun 2024
- 19th Jun 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Companies signed a MoU combining ArcelorMittal’s XCarb recycled and renewably produced steel and ZF’s manufacturing. ArcelorMittal’s XCarb recycled and renewably produced bars and wire rods will be the input material for the components produced by ZF.
-
-
TATA Steel
Monash University
- 13th Jun 2024
- 19th Jun 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Tata Steel and Australia’s Monash University signed a MoU to set up a Centre for Innovation on Environment and Intelligent Manufacturing. The centre will to collaborate on global challenges such as decarbonisation, resource recovery from sustainable sources, and other technologies.
-
-
JSW Steel
JSW Energy
- 12th Jun 2024
- 19th Feb 2024
- 3,800 tonne H2 annually
- US$24 million
R&D
Karnataka project: In August 2023 JSW Steel partnered with JSW Energy to secure green hydrogen supply for its Vijayanagar steel plant.
JSW Energy will set up a green hydrogen plant using 25 MW of renewable energy.
The project work started in June 2024 and is expected to be commissioned by Q4 2025.
In June 2024 the expected pilot commencement was brought forward to March 2025. JSW Energy has signed a seven-year contract with JSW Steel for supplying green hydrogen and green oxygen to produce green steel.
An MoU was also signed for the supply of 90,000 tonnes of green hydrogen, along with 720,000 tonnes per annum of green oxygen, by 2030.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
POSCO
Hazer
- 30th May 2024
- 6th Jun 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
MoU signed to prepare a project pathway for the integration of Hazer’s hydrogen production technology into POSCO’s low carbon steel production.
The MoU has an initial term of 2 years.
-
DRI/HBI with gas
Low Carbon
-
KOBELCO
- 20th May 2024
- 31st May 2024
- Not disclosed
- 300 billion yen ($1.9 billion) if plan is confirmed
Discussions only
The company will consider building a large electric arc furnace to replace one of its two blast furnaces in Kakogawa.
This technology shift would not take place until after 2030, and the company aims to make a decision on the investment in the next 3 years.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
- 19th May 2024
- 6th Jun 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
ArcelorMittal South Africa plans replace one of its two blast furnaces with an EAF at Vanderbijlpark.
The plan is to replace blast furnace C, which has an annual production capacity of 1.3 Mt.
The project is currently in the pre-feasibility stage and should be finalised during the course of 2024. If approved, the EAF should be running by Q3 2028.
-
-
Fortescue
Actis
- 29th Apr 2024
- 22nd May 2024
- Potential to produce up to 200,000 tonnes of green H2 annually
- Not disclosed
R&D
Actis and Fortescue were awarded rights to a high quality site, for the development of a large-scale green hydrogen and green ammonia project in Oman.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
Nippon Steel
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
- 25th Apr 2024
- 26th Apr 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
An MoU was signed to jointly study promoting NSCarbolex Neutral, NSC's mass balance brand, for wind farm turbine towers in Japanese wind farm projects.
No further research objectives or timelines are provided.
-
-
US Steel
CarbonFree
- 4th Apr 2024
- 9th Apr 2024
- Up to 50,000 tonnes of CO2 annually
- Not disclosed
Agreement signed
An agreement was inked to capture and mineralise up to 50,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year.
CarbonFree will build a plant fitted with its SkyCycle carbon capture technology at US Steel’s Gary Works Blast Furnaces. Operations are expected to begin in 2026.
-
-
Nippon Steel
ArcelorMittal
Danieli
- 2nd Apr 2024
- 12th Apr 2024
- Will increase pellet production by 4Mtpa
- Not disclosed
R&D
ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS) has selected Danieli Corus for a new pellet plant project, to be implemented at the Visakhapatnam site, in India.
The new plant is planned to commence operations in 2027, and will produce blast furnace and DR grade pellets.
-
-
China Baowu
BHP
- Apr 2024
- 23rd Apr 2024
- 1 million tonnes DRI annually; EAF capacity will be 220 tonnes
- US$622 million (4.5 billion yuan)
Operational
Baowu subsidiary Baosteel Zhanjiang is taking steps to convert steelmaking processes in Guangdong Province.
In Feb 2022 construction commenced for a hydrogen shaft furnace. The DRI plant launched in Jan 2024 and will reportedly reduce emissions by 500,000 mt annually. It currently runs on coke oven gas.
In Jan 2024, Baosteel Zhanjiang also began construction of a 220t EAF. It was completed in June 2025.
-
EAF
Green
DRI/HBI with gas
Low Carbon
-
Vale
U.S. Department of Energy
- 26th Mar 2024
- 9th Apr 2024
- Not disclosed
- Yet to be negotiated
Vale was selected by the US Department of Energy to begin award negotiations in 2024 as part of the Industrial Demonstrations Program. Vale's project will include the construction of an iron ore briquette plant in the US. Vale's cold-agglomeration process for producing briquettes is customised for a direct reduction route (DRI).
Time frames or production capacity is not disclosed.
-
-
Nippon Steel
ArcelorMittal
- 22nd Mar 2024
- 5th Apr 2024
- Not disclosed
- Rs 100 crore (US$12M) for scrap processing centres
R&D
Arcelor and NSC's JV, AM/NS India, is accelerating efforts to lower its emissions through increasing scrap utilisation.
AM/NS India will soon establish three dedicated scrap processing centres by December 2024 with an estimated investment of Rs 100 crore.
The company aims to increase its scrap mix from 3-5% to 9% by the end of 2025. This will be achieved through use of the existing EAF, plus a newly introduced BOF.
-
-
Nippon Steel
- 20th Mar 2024
- 26th Sep 2024
- Not disclosed
- JPY 114.1 billion from Green Innovation Fund
R&D
NSC are looking into using hydrogen in the direct reduction process with low-grade iron ore.
As a Green Innovation Fund project, NSC will build a small furnace (10 tons) in the Hasaki R&D Center and start experiments in 2025. Tenova will build the pilot facility.
The company plans to begin studying scaling up from 2027. By 2050, NSC aims to commercialize a direct hydrogen reduction reactor using low-grade iron ore.
-
-
Nippon Steel
- 18th Mar 2024
- 26th Sep 2024
- Not disclosed
- JPY 23 billion provided by Green Innovation Fund
R&D
As of March 2024, NSC announced it would develop high-efficiency melting by an electric melting furnace using directly reduced iron.
-
-
JFE Steel
ITOCHU Corporation
MOL
HIF
- 28th Feb 2024
- 4th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
MoU signed to jointly conduct a feasibility study covering CO2 capture in Japan, CO2 shipping to Australia, production and storage of synthetic fuel derived from the CO2 in Australia, and establishing an 'e-fuel' supply chain.
JFE Steel's role will be to study CO2 separation/capture and liquefication, as well as estimating offloading costs.
-
-
Rio Tinto
Canadian Government
- 27th Feb 2024
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Canadian Gov investing C$18 million (US$13M), and IOC funding the rest (roughly C$54 million)
R&D
Rio Tinto has received funding from the Canadian Government to decarbonize iron ore processing in Labrador West.
The funding comes from the government's Low-Carbon Economy Fund, and will enable Rio's Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) to reduce the amount of heavy fuel oil that is used in the production of iron ore pellets/concentrate.
The equipment installation will begin in the second half of the year and is expected to be completed in H1 of 2025. Rio expects to reduce about 2.2Mt of GHG emissions over the lifetime of the project.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
Petrobras
- 27th Feb 2024
- 25th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
An MoU was signed for assessing potential business models for low-carbon fuels, hydrogen, renewable energy and CCS.
Part of this cooperation involves potentially developing a CCS hub in Brazil. Petrobras has already started mapping geological reservoirs for storage options.
-
CCUS
Limited
H2 production
Low Carbon
-
Thyssenkrupp
KOBELCO
- 19th Feb 2024
- 6th Mar 2024
- 2.5 million tonnes DRI capacity
- German Government to invest €2 billion
Under construction
In Sep 2022, Thyssenkrupp announced it will transform its Duisburg plant into a large-scale hydrogen-powered direct reduction plant.
In Mar 2023 Midrex and partner Paul Wurth, an SMS group company, were selected to engineer, supply, and construct a MIDREX Flex™ direct reduction plant for Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG at its Duisburg site in Germany.
Start-up of the plant is planned for the end of 2026. Thyssenkrupp wants to begin using hydrogen at its plant in 2028, before a 100% hydrogen operation to follow in 2029.
In Feb 2024, Thyssenkrupp Steel issued a tender to supply 143,000 tonnes of H2.
-
DRI/HBI with gas
Low Carbon
DRI + ESF
Green
-
Vale
Hydnum
- 8th Feb 2024
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
MoU signed for jointly evaluating the possibility of building a collocated iron ore briquette plant in Hydnum Steel's green steel project in Puertollano, Spain.
The plant will begin producing 1.5 million tonnes of rolled steel in 2026, and it is projected to have an annual capacity of 2.6 million tonnes starting from 2030. However, the expected briquette production amount was not disclosed.
-
-
BHP
China Baowu
- 2nd Feb 2024
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- MoU: BHP to invest up to US$35 million
Industry Knowledge Centre: BHP to invest US$8 million over 3 years
R&D
MoU signed to develop low carbon technologies and pathways capable of emission intensity reduction in integrated steelmaking.
The deployment of carbon capture, utilisation and storage in the steel sector will also be investigated at one of China Baowu’s production bases.
In Jul 2023 BHP and Baowu announced the formation of an Industry Knowledge Centre with Monash University.
-
-
JSW Steel
Coolbrook
- 11th Jan 2024
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Agreement signed for deploying the latter’s RotoDynamic Heater (RDH) technology in its manufacturing sites at Vijayanagar Works with the primary goal of achieving low-CO2 emissions.
RDH technology utilises renewable electricity to power high-temperature industrial processes significantly reducing the need to burn fossil fuels.
Exact reductions and timelines are not provided.
-
-
Fortescue
European Union
- Dec 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- EU to invest €200 million
R&D
Holmaneset Project: Fortescue is planning a green ammonia plant in Svelgen, Norway.
Contruction should commence 2025 and operations in 2027, pending board approvals.
The EU will be providing a EU200M grant as part of its Innovation Fund.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
JFE Steel
Sumitomo
Sumitomo Osaka Cement
Woodside Energy
Kawasaki
- Dec 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
MoU signed to jointly conduct a business feasibility study aimed at aggregating CO2 from the Setouchi and Shikoku regions and then transporting those emissions to Australia for permanent storage.
This study will investigate the feasibility of collecting CO2 by small-sized vessels from various emitters in Setouchi and Shikoku regions, storing those emissions temporarily at a hub port in Japan before the CO2 is transported to Australia by large-sized vessels for sequestration/storage.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
- Dec 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- Convert 88,000 tonnes of waste wood into 37,500 tonnes of bio-coal annually
- €35 million
Demonstration plant
ArcelorMittal Belgium has commissioned its Torero plant, which converts waste wood into bio-coal for use in the blast furnace at its Gent steelmaking site.
The first bio-coal from this plant was used in the BF in Dec 2023.
The project will reduce annual carbon emissions from the plant by 112,500 tonnes.
-
Ironmaking using biomass
Low Carbon
-
TATA Steel
Imperial College London
- Dec 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- £10 million
Partnership signed
Partnership to create a new £10-million design and manufacturing centre to aid TATA Steel's decarbonisation efforts.
Specific technologies are not mentioned in the announcement.
-
-
ArcelorMittal
EDP
- Nov 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
EDP signed an MoU with ArcelorMittal Tubarão to assess the technical and economic feasibility of a pilot project for the production and use of green hydrogen in the steelmaking process.
This will take place in Brazil, and the study should be completed within a year.
-
-
JFE Steel
ENEOS
- Oct 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
JFE Steel and ENEOS announced that the companies have started a collaborative study for the utilization of CO2-free hydrogen at the Mizushima Industrial Complex.
It is unclear how the hydrogen will be utilised, however JFE do intend to make use of H2 in blast furnaces as part of their carbon neutral roadmap.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
KOBELCO
- Oct 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Demonstrations
Reduction Solution for Blast Furnace Ironmaking Enhanced: Kobe use Midrex HBI to reduce the coke rate and emissions of a BF.
In Feb 2021, Kobe successfully demonstrated a 20% emissions reduction.
In Oct 2023, Kobe demonstrated that this can reduce CO2 emissions by 25% from a large blast furnace.
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Nucor Steel
Helion Energy
- Oct 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- 500MW power plant
- Nucor investing US$35 million
R&D
An agreement was signed involving Nuclear power supply for Nucor.
By 2030, Helion will build out a 500-megawatt power plant at one of Nucor’s U.S. steel mills, selling the electricity directly to the steelmaker to fuel its electric arc furnaces.
Helion aims to build a fusion device capable of demonstrating net zero electricity production by 2024.
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Vale
Port of Açu
- Sep 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Vale has signed agreement with Port of Açu.
According to the agreement, both companies will seek investors and clients to build and operate the DR plant using natural gas which will be available at the port, with the possibility of eventually converting to green hydrogen, producing HBI.
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DRI/HBI with gas
Low Carbon
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TATA Steel
ABB
- Sep 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
MoU signed to enhance energy efficiency within the steel production process and explore of alternatives to fossil fuels, with a keen emphasis on leveraging renewable energy sources and hydrogen.
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US Steel
NETL
- Sep 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Companies are collaborating to test an advanced membrane technology to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated by steelmaking operations at the Company’s Edgar Thomson Plant, Pennsylvania.
The unit is scheduled for installation early 2025.
Project funding was allocated by the DOE/NETL Point Source Carbon Capture Program.
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BlueScope Steel
CSIRO
Hadean Energy
- Sep 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Hadean will build a pilot hydrogen electrolyser plant that reportedly uses 30% less electricity.
This project is to be built at Port Kembla Steelworks in 2024.
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Green H2 production
Green
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BlueScope Steel
TATA Steel
- Sep 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Technology collaboration agreement signed
FY23 Investor Presentation, p.50
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BlueScope Steel
Thyssenkrupp
- Sep 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Technology collaboration agreement signed
FY23 Investor Presentation, p.50
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BlueScope Steel
POSCO
- Sep 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Technology collaboration agreement signed
FY23 Investor Presentation, p.50
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BlueScope Steel
University of Wollongong
Future Fuels Cooperative Research Centre
- Sep 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- AU$1.8 million (supported by ARENA)
Trial complete
In May 2022, partners announced they would collaborate on a 13 month project to trial biochar’s potential to replace some of the pulverised coal injected into the blast furnace as part of the ironmaking process, reducing GHG emissions intensity.
Trials were completed in 2023 and achieved ~3% reduction in ironmaking net GHG emissions.
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Ironmaking using biomass
Low Carbon
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BlueScope Steel
- Sep 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Execution
BlueScope is investigating increasing scrap utilisation in BOF from 26% to 30% via scrap pre-melting, asset modifications and digital tools.
This has the potential to reduce emissions intensity by ~6%.
FY23 Investor Presentation, p. 35
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Rio Tinto
H2 Green Steel
- Aug 2023
- 4th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Under construction
Rio Tinto and H2 Green Steel have signed a multi-year supply agreement for high grade direct reduction iron ore pellets from Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) operations.
Rio will also buy and on-sell HBI from H2GS.
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Vale
H2 Green Steel
- Aug 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Agreement signed
Have signed multi-year agreements for Vale to supply DR-grade iron ore pellets.
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Nippon Steel
Taiheiyo Cement
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
ITOCHU Corporation
ITOCHU Oil Exploration Co.
INPEX Taisai
- Aug 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- 1.5-1.9 million tonnes/year CO2 storage
- Not disclosed
R&D
A CCS project selected as part of the Japanese Advanced CCS projects (Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).
The companies are looking to store CO2 off the coast of Tohoku. Emissions will be sourced from NSC's Kyushu steelworks, amoung other locations.
NSC's role is to study separation and liquification of CO2 + shipping.
This study is in response to Japanese Government policy relating to CCS.
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TATA Steel
- Aug 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Pilot success - looking to scale up
Tata Steel plans to scale up the usage of hydrogen injection into BFs, after the successful completion of the pilot project at its Jamshedpur plant.
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BF with H2 injection
Low Carbon
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Voestalpine Group
Compact Membrane Systems
- 26th Jul 2023
- 26th Aug 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Pilot
In July 2023, the two companies announced the launch of a new carbon capture pilot.
The pilot was to be deployed in Q4 of 2023 and operate at voestalpine’s Linz site in Austria, using Compact Membrane System's technology.
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POSCO
Hydrogen Oman (Hydrom)
- Jun 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- 220,000 mt/year of green hydrogen, 1.2 million mt/year of green ammonia
- Not disclosed
R&D
Oman awarded a project to produce 220,000 mt/year of green hydrogen + 1.2 million mt/year of green ammonia to consortium including POSCO and France's Engie.
The consortium plans to break ground for the plants in 2027 with an aim to complete mechanical construction in 2030.
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Green H2 production
Green
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TATA Steel
SMS Group
- Jun 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
MoU signed to hold technical discussions and demonstrate an SMS-developed decarbonisation technology at a blast furnace in Tata’s Jamshedpur plant in Jharkhand, India.
The technology to be trialled is SMS group’s electric-assisted syngas smelter (EASyMelt) technology.
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JSW Steel
- Jun 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Waste plastic injection trials at Vijayanagar steel plant reported successful.
It is unclear what CO2 reduction this results in.
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BF with plastic injection
Limited
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HBIS Group
Great Wall Motors
- Jun 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Agreement signed
Signed a strategic cooperation agreement for jointly building a green and low-carbon industrial chain.
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SSAB
- Jun 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- SEK 6.2 billion
R&D
SSAB’s Board has taken an investment decision for the green transformation of the Oxelösund mill
The aim is to start production of steel without carbon emissions, based on recycled steel and sponge iron, during quarter 4 in 2026.
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Nucor Steel
Exxon Mobil
- Jun 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- Will capture up to 800,000 tonnes CO2 annually
- Not disclosed
R&D
Agreement signed to capture, transport, and store carbon from the company's direct reduced iron (DRI) plant in Convent, Louisiana.
The project is expected to start-up in 2026.
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ArcelorMittal
John Cockerill
- Jun 2023
- 7th Mar 2024
- Initial capacity will be 40,000-80,000t iron annually with intention to increase
- Not disclosed
Pilot success - looking to scale up
Volteron™: a carbon free, cold direct electrolysis ironmakng process that ArcelorMittal and John Cockerill have been working on for the past few years.
The process was reported to be a success using standard iron ore in a pilot, with the iron plates created during the electrolysis process then processed into steel in an EAF.
In Jun 2023, the partners announced the Volteron™ plant is targeted to start-up in 2027.
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ArcelorMittal
- Jun 2023
- 14th Mar 2024
- 2.5 million tonnes steel annually
- Arcelor to invest €67 million
Under construction
ArcelorMittal confirmed its plan to invest in a new EAF at its Belval site.
This investment is part of a series of projects that were the subject of an MoU signed in Sep 2022 between ArcelorMittal Luxembourg and the Ministry of the Economy.
Commissioning is expected in 2025.
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ArcelorMittal
Sekisui Chemical
NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization)
- Jun 2023
- 14th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
From 2021, companies partnered on a project to capture and reuse CO2 emitted during steelmaking also supported by NEDO.
In Jun 2023, it was announced that the project achieved conversion targets ahead of schedule, with a CO2 conversion rate of 90%. However, the CO2 capture rate is not disclosed.
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Vale
- May 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- 6 million tonnes briquettes annually
- Not disclosed
Industrial tests
Vale successfully tested a new briquette type in May 2023 adapted for the DR route.
The briquettes performed better than pellets, achieving higher metallic content and disintegrating less.
Next step is industrial tests in north America beginning Jun 2023.
Vale is also building Tubarão briquette plants. One plant began operations in 2023 and the second was expected to begin at the end of 2023.
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Vale
GravitHy
- May 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- 2 million tonnes DRI annually
- €2 billion
R&D
MoU signed to jointly evaluate the construction of a plant co-located in GravitHy’s site in Fos-sur-Mer (France) to produce direct reduction briquettes from Vale’s high-quality iron ore feedstock.
Construction is expected to begin 2024 and finish 2027.
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JFE Steel
- May 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- 200,000 tonnes in first year
- Not disclosed
Commercial
JFE steel began supplying JGREEX in 2023.
The Mass Balance approach is used to allocate emissions reductions.
JGreeX products are sold at a 40% premium.
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China Baowu
TBD - possibly WA Pilbara
- May 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
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Looking to invest in WA, comments from both RIO and Fortescue are included in announcement.
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China Baowu
Aramco
Public Investment Fund (PIF)
- May 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- 1.5 million tonnes annually
- Not disclosed
R&D
Shareholders’ agreement signed to establish a DRI-based steelmaking plant in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia would be the project’s primary target market, with plans to export to the GCC and broader MENA region.
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DRI/HBI with gas
Low Carbon
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JSW Steel
POSCO
- May 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Discussions only
Met to discuss collaboration on eco-friendly steel technologies and related initiatives.
POSCO is considering India as a potential site for producing hot briquetted iron (HBI).
JSW is also interested in POSCO's hydrogen reduction steel technology known as "HyREX."
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BlueScope Steel
NZ Steel
New Zealand Government
- May 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- NZ$300 million total; BlueScope NZ$160M, NZ$140M co-funded by the NZ government
Execution
NZ Steel will build a new EAF at Glenbrook mill within the next 3 yrs (by 2026).
This will reduce NZ Steel's emissions by 45%.
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Thyssenkrupp
H2 Green Steel
- May 2023
- 3rd Mar 2024
- >700MW
- Not disclosed
R&D
Agreement signed, thyssenkrupp nucera will deliver capacity of more than 700MW to the electrolysis plant, likely making the H2 Green Steel plant one of the world’s largest alkaline water electrolysis installation by the time its commissioned.
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Green H2 production
Green
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China Baowu
Beijing Benz
- Apr 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Commercial
Mass-Produced the first role of electro-galvanized low-carbon steel (BeyondECO®-30%).
This follows the announcement of the project and MoU in Nov 2022.
Can achieve a 30% emissions reduction, although detail is limited as to how.
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KOBELCO
Mitsui & Co
Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ)
- Apr 2023
- 6th Mar 2024
- 5 million tonnes DRI per annum
- Not disclosed
R&D
MoU signed to commercialize the manufacture and sale of direct reduced iron (DRI) produced through Kobe Steel’s MIDREX Process, which uses natural gas.
The work will be based in Oman, with agreements with the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) and a Land Reservation Agreement with Port of Duqm Company S.A.O.C. (PODC).
Production is expected to begin 2027.
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DRI/HBI with gas
Low Carbon
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BHP
Hatch
University of Newcastle
- Mar 2023
- 20th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Signed MoU to design a pilot electric smelting furnace (ESF) that can allow the use of BHP’s Pilbara iron ore in a DRI-based process.
The location within Aus for the facility has not been chosen yet.
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Fortescue
- Mar 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Pilot
FFI are piloting a renewable energy-powered chemical electrolysis process to produce iron without coal or hydrogen.
The pilot plant processed 150kg of Pilbara iron ore in Mar 2023 and Fortescue is now looking to scale up the technology.
Several patents have been filed.
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Rio Tinto
Australian National University
- Feb 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
In 2023 Rio and ANU collaborated on AI-based techniques to predict ore characteristics such as density and porosity.
In 2024 Rio aim to build a small-scale pilot facility to further study how it's ores would behave under different types of hydrogen-based processing.
2022 Climate Change report p. 24
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Iron ore beneficiation
Green
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Rio Tinto
- Feb 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Rio is evaluating the extent to which impurities can be removed from our Pilbara blend ores economically prior to processing, so these ores can be used effectively in low CO2 technologies.
In 2024 Rio aims to complete lab scale test work and progress small-scale beneficiation trials, as well as complete conceptual study into pilot plant options using an existing plant as a pilot facility.
2023 Climate Change report p. 30
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Iron ore beneficiation
Green
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POSCO
- Feb 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- 2.5 million tonnes steel annually
- US$462 million (KRW 600 billion)
R&D
POSCO plans to install an electric arc furnace with capacity of 2.5 million tonnes/year at its Gwangyang plant.
The project is expected to start construction in January 2024 and be officially put into operation in 2026.
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Fortescue
WA Government
- Jan 2023
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Fortescue were 1 of 7 companies allocated government land in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, to develop green industrial projects.
In FY24, Fortescue will progress a study on an investment to produce green iron at the Boodarie Strategic Industrial Area in Port Hedland.
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Nippon Steel
Mitsubishi
Exxon Mobil
- Jan 2023
- 16th Aug 2024
- Approx. 2 million tonnes/year CO2 stored
- Not disclosed
R&D
Signed an MoU to jointly study carbon capture and storage (CCS) and the establishment of CCS value chains in the Asia Pacific regions.
This is one of nine CCS projects selected as an "Advanced CCS Project". The companies will conduct research on the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from multiple industries including steelworks in Chubu (Nagoya, Yokkaichi), and plan to store it somewhere in Oceania (offshore depleted oil and gas fields, aquifers).
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Nucor Steel
- Jan 2023
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Commercial release expected end 2023
Elcyon: the World's first steel plate for offshore wind projects made using EAF technology with a recycled content of >90%.
Elcyon products will be made at the Nucor Brandenburg steel mill in Kentucky.
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Fortescue
Egypt
- Dec 2022
- 19th Feb 2024
- 330,000 tonnes green H2 annually
- Not disclosed
R&D
Signed a major framework agreement with Egypt, securing exclusive land rights to host up to 7.6GW of large scale wind and solar to produce green hydrogen in Egypt.
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Green H2 production
Green
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Nucor Steel
Electra
- Dec 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Lab-scale trials
Nucor has partnered with and made an equity investment in Electra - amount not disclosed.
Doug Jellison, Executive Vice President of Raw Materials at Nucor, has joined Electra's market advisory board.
Nucor will also buy Electra's end product when available.
sustainability report p. 34
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Vale
Emirates Steel Arkan (ESA)
Sultanate of Oman
- 1st Nov 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Still being studied
- Not disclosed
R&D
Signed 3 agreements with local authorities to study feasibility of megahubs in the Middle East: Ras Al-Khair Industrial City in Saudi Arabia, the Khalifa Economic Zone in Abu Dhabi and at Duqm in Oman.
Vale will supply iron ore fines and then beneficiate them into pellet-feed concentrates in plants it builds and operates within the megahubs.
Vale announced in September 2023 that it expected to start building these megahubs in 2024 with the first starting production in 2027.
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POSCO
- Nov 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Commercial
Greenate: POSCO launched the master brand Greenate in Nov 2022.
Greenate certified steel is a Greenate product sold with emissions reductions using the mass balance methodology.
LG electronics were the first to purchase this, and ordered 200 tonnes.
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China Baowu
Shell
Sinopec
BASF
- Nov 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Parties signed an MoU to explore the feasibility of developing an open-source carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) project in the East China region.
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TATA Steel
Primetals
- Nov 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
MoU signed, Primetals Technologies will provide Tata Steel with engineering expertise as well as support in implementing "green steel technology".
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BHP
Electra
- Oct 2022
- 23rd Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Lab-scale trials
BHP have invested in Electra Steel, which are developing an electrochemical process for green steel production at low-temperature and utilising intermittent renewable power.
BHP ores are being used in trials.
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Vale
Stahl-Holding-Saar GmbH & Co. KGaA (SHS)
- Oct 2022
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Signed MoU to jointly study and explore, among other initiatives,
(i) the usage of Vale’s green iron ore briquettes and direct reduction pellets in steelmaking;
(ii) a briquette plant located close to SHS’ facilities; and (iii) the Tecnored technology.
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POSCO
Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology
- Oct 2022
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- US$18 million (KRW 25.2 billion)
R&D
Jointly implementing a national public-private R&D project to demonstrate CCU(Carbon Capture & Utilization) technology.
POSCO Group’s CCU technology demonstration project will be conducted in POSCO’s steel mill in the southern city of Gwangyang and is set for completion in 2024.
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ArcelorMittal
Government of Canada & Ontario
- Oct 2022
- 19th Feb 2024
- 2.5 million tonnes DRI annually
- CAD$1.8 billion, including CAD$900 million from gov
R&D
ArcelorMittal Dofasco announced in Oct 2022 it would transition to DRI-EAF steelmaking to help Arcelor meet 2030 emissions intensity targets.
DRI plant will initially use gas but can switch to H2.
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DRI + EAF with gas
Low Carbon
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JSW Steel
Smartex
- Oct 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Signed MoU to jointly explore ways to decarbonize steel sector in India.
This will include financing to make technology available and making the market more accessible, keeping decarbonisation of India's steel sector in mind.
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KOBELCO
H2 Green Steel
Paul Wurth + MIDREX
- Oct 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- 2.1 million tonnes of DRI/HBI capacity
- Not disclosed
Under construction
KOBELCO signed a contract to supply the innovative MIDREX H2™ technology for the world's first commercial 100% hydrogen direct reduced iron (DRI) plant, which is expected to start operation in 2025.
KOBELCO intends to purchase from H2 green steel in future.
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US Steel
- Oct 2022
- 23rd Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- US$150million investment
Under construction
Established first DR-grade pellet facility at Keetac facilities in 2022 to be used in EAF facilities.
The company expects to complete construction late 2023 and to produce the first DR-grade pellets in 2024.
2022 ESG report, p. 31
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Rio Tinto
Shougang Group
- Sep 2022
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
CCU pilot under construction
Signed MoU which will focus on 4 areas: low-carbon sintering technology, BF heat recovery, BOF slag utilisation and carbon capture and utilisation (CCU).
2024 objectives include completing construction of a small-scale CCU test facility, and completing the design and beginning construction of a large-scale pilot facility.
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BF optimisation
Limited
Low emissions sintering
Limited
CCUS
Limited
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JSW Steel
SMS Group
- Sep 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- US$1.26 billion (10,000 crores)
R&D
Signed MoU for collaboration with German-based engineering and technology company SMS group GmbH in Mumbai to cut down carbon emissions at its plants.
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Nippon Steel
- Sep 2022
- 5th Mar 2024
- 300,000 tonnes per year sold.
- Not disclosed
Commercial
NSCarbolexTM Neutral: Nippon Steel's Mass Balance brand. This is certified as reducing CO2 emissions in the steelmaking process by allocating these reductions to a certain proportion of steel products.
The 2023 supply volume was expected to be 300,000 tonnes per year. The price has not been disclosed.
Nippon Steel has obtained a limited assurance from third-party organization JICQA.
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HBIS Group
BMW
- Aug 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Stage 1: low-carbon steel being supplied
Signed an MoU to Create a Green and Low-Carbon Steel Supply Chain. With the agreement, starting from mid-2023 BMW’s Shenyang production base will begin using HBIS’s low-carbon steel that has a 10-30% smaller carbon footprint compared with traditional steel.
From 2026 BMW’s Shenyang production base will gradually shift to using green automotive steel.
HBIS will produce the “green steel” with the hydrogen-based DRI-EAF (Direct Reduced Iron in Electric Arc Furnace) process, which will gradually move towards a 95% reduction of emissions.
BMW expects it will reduce CO2 emissions in its supply chain by up to 230,000 tons per year from 2026.
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HBIS Group
Danieli
- Aug 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Agreement signed
Signed a commercial and technological cooperation agreement that will enable both Companies to work on developing new technologies to produce steel efficiently.
The main aim of the agreement is the production of green steel by reducing GHG emissions by the gradual decarbonization of steel production in China.
This will initially be focused on the new steelworks for HBIS’s Shijiazhuang Iron & Steel (Shigang).
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US Steel
Equinor
Shell US Gas & Power
- Aug 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Agreement signed
Companies entered into a non-exclusive Cooperation Agreement, studying the potential for carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen development in the tri-state region of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
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BHP
TATA Steel
- Jul 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
MoU signed to collaborate on ways to reduce the emission intensity of the BF steelmaking route.
Two priority areas: the use of biomass as a source of energy and the application of carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) in steel production.
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CCUS
Limited
Ironmaking using biomass
Low Carbon
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POSCO
ACWA Power
- Jul 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Saudi-based ACWA Power and South Korean-based POSCO signed MoU to develop new hydrogen and ammonia production projects.
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Green H2 production
Green
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TATA Steel
TATA Steel Netherlands
- Jul 2022
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Commercial
Zeremis Carbon Lite: emissions reductions based on the Mass Balance allocation method.
The initial offering for these products is a 30% reduction in CO2 intensity benchmarked against the European average for steel products.
Additional emissions reductions can also be allocated for customers with higher reduction targets.
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Thyssenkrupp
BP
- Jul 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Signed MoU focused on the development of long-term supply of low carbon hydrogen and renewable power in steel production, helping accelerate the steel industry’s wider energy transition.
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Green H2 production
Green
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Rio Tinto
Salzgitter Group
- Jun 2022
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Signed an MoU to work together towards carbon-free steelmaking.
Companies will explore optimisation of iron ore pellets, lump and fines for use in hydrogen direct reduction steelmaking.
The partnership will focus on the potential use of Rio's products in the SALCOS® - Salzgitter Low CO2 Steelmaking programme.
Tests of IOC pellets in the SALCOS µDRAL pilot direct reduction plant at Salzgitter were ongoing in 2023.
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JFE Steel
RITE
- Jun 2022
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D - Under construction
Project aimed at optimizing a system that uses CO2 for methanol synthesis.
Construction at the JFE Steel West Japan Works (Fukuyama Area) was to begin in 2022 and the facilities will enter operation in 2023. Demonstration testing is to be completed within 2025.
Developed in response to COURSE50.
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JFE Steel
Ehime University
- Jun 2022
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D - Under construction
Researching/developing CO2-fixing technology based on fast, large-quantity carbonation of steel slag
Construction at the JFE Steel East Japan Works (Chiba Area) will begin in 2023 and the facilities will enter operation in 2024. Demonstration testing is to be completed within 2025
Developed in response to COURSE50
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BHP
Zenith Steel
- May 2022
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Industrial-scale trial
An industrial scale sinter plant emission reduction trial was commenced in May 2022.
Companies are also looking at feasibility of low-fossil carbon gas injection.
2023 annual report p. 49
2022 annual report p. 114
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Low emissions sintering
Limited
BF with gas injection
Limited
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ArcelorMittal
SNIM
- May 2022
- 7th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
MoU signed to evaluate the opportunity to jointly develop a pelletisation plant and direct reduced iron plant in Mauritania.
A 6 month pre-feasibility study was to be carried out. This project was to take advantage of Mauritania's potential for renewables and green hydrogen production.
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DRI/HBI with H2
Green
Pelletisation
Green
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KOBELCO
- May 2022
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Commercial
Kobenable Steel: low CO2 BF steel brand
Kobe uses Mass Balance to sell this "low emissions" steel
Emissions reductions are achieved by the use of Midrex HBI as described below
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Nucor Steel
University of Kentucky
- May 2022
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- US department of energy investing US$5 million
Under construction
Nucor Steel Gallatin in Ghent, Kentucky, is collaborating on this project by treating evolved gas from its EAF to determine if carbon capture systems can be cost-effective at steel mills.
sustainability report p. 36
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-
Vale
- Apr 2022
- 19th Feb 2024
- Initial production 250,000 tonnes of pig iron annually
- US$345 million
Pilot - construction of full scale plant underway
Tecnored: produces pig iron using biomass instead of coal
Signed an agreement with the government of the northern Brazilian state of Pará to build a “green” pig iron plant in Apr 2022.
Start-up is planned for 2025.
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Ironmaking using biomass
Low Carbon
-
Vale
Nippon Steel
- Apr 2022
- 7th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Signed MoU to jointly study and explore (i) metallics usage solutions such as DRI (no mention of whether this will use gas or hydrogen) and pig iron produced by Tecnored technology; and (ii) usage of Vale’s green briquettes in ironmaking process and other lower carbon footprint products such as pellets.
-
Pelletisation
Green
DRI
Low Carbon
-
POSCO
Engie
- Mar 2022
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Signed MoU to explore joint development opportunities for green hydrogen production and related infrastructure in the Middle East, Australia and Latin America.
ENGIE will leverage its existing industrial-scale renewable hydrogen value-chain experience to support POSCO’s hydrogen production.
-
Green H2 production
Green
-
Nippon Steel
Deep Sea Store Limited
- Feb 2022
- 19th Feb 2024
- Hoping to store 1-5 million tonnes of liquefied CO2
- Not disclosed
R&D
Executed a Joint Study Agreement regarding capturing and transporting liquefied CO2 to deepC Store’s flagship offshore floating CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) hub project (CStore1).
The agreement provides for the evaluation of the commercial feasibility for deepC Store to capture and transport between 1-5 million tonnes per annum of liquefied CO2 from Nippon as a supply source for CStore1.
CStore1 takes CO2 from industrial sources in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, and ships liquid CO2 from capture sites to a CO2 Floating Storage and Injection (FSI) hub facility in offshore Australia.
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-
China Baowu
- Feb 2022
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Under construction
Baowu will look to start up its first zero-carbon electric-arc furnace-based steel mill in the second half of 2023.
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-
BlueScope Steel
UniVentures
Robinson Research Institute
NZ Steel
- Feb 2022
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- NZ Steel to invest NZ$750,000 over 3 yrs,
plus NZ$6.5 million from MBIE Endeavour Fund
R&D
This collaboration will accelerate the development of a pilot-scale plant that uses hydrogen instead of coal to produce iron from local New Zealand ironsands at NZ Steel's Glenbrook site.
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-
Nucor Steel
- Jan 2022
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Commercial
Econiq: net-zero steel products. These products are produced with renewable energy, meaning there are zero scope 2 emissions. Emissions are still produced in the steelmaking process (scope 1) however these are offset.
Initial shipments went out Jan 2022.
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US Steel
EQT Corporation
Equinor
GE Gas Power
Marathon Petroleum
Mitsubishi Power
Shell Polymers
- 2022
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Alliance formed
Formed an alliance for decarbonizing the industrial base in the Northern Appalachian Region of the United States.
USS provides information on steel industry and challenges/opportunities related to technology adoption.
The hub concept will include a focus on CCUS, as well as hydrogen production and utilization.
-
CCUS
Limited
H2 production
Low Carbon
-
US Steel
University of Michigan — Global CO2 Initiative
- 2022
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Unclear
Partnership with academia to further research on capturing and use of CO2
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-
BlueScope Steel
- 2022
- 7th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
BlueScope Ventures created an investment vehicle in 2022 focused on identifying future technologies that could support BlueScope’s decarbonisation pathways.
Relevant investments made to date include investments in green H2 startups Hysata and Verdagy. Investment amounts are not disclosed.
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Green H2 production
Green
-
BlueScope Steel
Shell
- Dec 2021
- 6th Mar 2024
- 10MW green H2
- Not disclosed
Cancelled
Signed MoU to explore and develop renewable hydrogen projects at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks.
This initial project will investigate designing, building and operating a pilot-scale 10MW renewable hydrogen electrolyser.
The MoU also provides for BlueScope and Shell to collaborate with other organisations to develop a “hydrogen hub” in the Illawarra.
Shell pulled out from being a leading partner to "redirect its investments"
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Vale
POSCO
- Nov 2021
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Signed MoU to develop solutions for decarbonisation in ironmaking.
Collaboration includes the use of high-grade iron ore products such as pellets, fines and briquettes, as a potential solution for reducing fossil fuel consumption.
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-
Vale
China Baowu
- Nov 2021
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Indicative amount US$8.2-9.6 million (60-70 million renminbi)
MoU signed
MoU signed comprises the discussion to produce biochar and use it in blast furnaces.
The MoU also intends to discuss a possible investment by Vale into China Baowu’s pilot biochar plant project.
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Ironmaking using biomass
Low Carbon
-
ArcelorMittal
Government of Quebec
- Nov 2021
- 6th Mar 2024
- 10 million t DRI pellets annually once converted
- CAD$205 million
Under construction
ArcelorMittal and the government of Quebec announced a CAD$205 million investment by ArcelorMittal Mining Canada (‘AMMC’) in its Port-Cartier pellet plant, enabling this facility to convert its entire 10 million tonne annual pellet production to direct reduced iron pellets by the end of 2025.
Construction phase was expected to begin mid-2023.
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BHP
POSCO
- Oct 2021
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- BHP to invest US$10 million over 5 year partnership
MoU signed
Signed MoU to undertake pilot and plant trials to lower carbon in the steelmaking process, including optimising coke quality and assessing carbon capture storage and utilisation (CCUS) options to lower carbon intensity in the blast furnace.
Companies also intend to share research on hydrogen-based direct reduction technology & the use of biomass in steelmaking.
-
CCUS
Limited
BF optimisation
Limited
DRI/HBI with H2
Green
-
Rio Tinto
POSCO
- Jul 2021
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
MoU signed to explore a range of technologies for decarbonisation across the entire steel value chain, including integrating Rio Tinto’s iron ore processing technology and POSCO’s steelmaking technology.
In 2024 Rio will continue to work with POSCO to progress higher lump usage trials in BFs where lab tests are showing positive results.
Lab tests indicate increased lump usage can reduce BF emissions by 1%.
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Ansteel
Institute of Process Engineering
Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shanghai University
- Jul 2021
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Under construction
Signed an agreement to work on Green Hydrogen Energy Smelting Technology
Construction was announced Sep 2022 and completion was expected 2023.
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-
Voestalpine Group
K1-MET
Montanuniversität Leoben
- Jun 2021
- 25th Aug 2025
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Pilot
SuSteel: a fossil free steelmaking process using novel hydrogen plasma technology.
Hydrogen plasma is used to simultaneously reduce iron ore and smelt it into crude steel in a special direct current electric arc furnace. A pilot facility commenced operation in Donawitz in 2021.
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H2 plasma smelting reduction
Green
-
ArcelorMittal
Equinor
- Mar 2021
- 4th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Under construction
Signed MoU to join the Northern lights project, which includes transport, reception and permanent storage of CO2 in a reservoir in the northern part of the North Sea.
Facilities are under construction and are on track to start receiving CO2 in 2024.
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US Steel
- Mar 2021
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Commercial
verdeX: steel products which contain over 90% recycled scrap content. It can reportedly reduce emissions by up to 75% compared to traditional BF steelmaking.
General Motors announced it will purchase verdeX in Feb 2023, though the amount purchased is not disclosed.
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Thyssenkrupp
- Mar 2021
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Full scale
bluemint® Steel: thyssenkrupp's brand for CO2-reduced steel that in the long term will be produced from the hydrogen-powered direct reduction plant.
Current CO2 reductions are 64-70%, which is achieved by increasing the amount of scrap, thus reducing the amount of coking coal required.
There are now well over a dozen different MoUs in place in the Automotive, Industrial, Electrical Steel, Packaging Steel and Precision Steel sales areas.
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BHP
JFE Steel
- Feb 2021
- 7th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- BHP to invest US$15 million over the five-year partnership
MoU signed
MoU signed with focus on the role of Australian raw materials to help to increase efficiency and reduce emissions from the BF and DRI steel making routes.
The partnership intends to study the properties of raw materials, with focus on specific areas such as iron ore pretreatment, use of enhanced iron ore lump, high quality coke and DRI (it is not mentioned whether this will utilise gas or grey/green hydrogen).
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BF optimisation
Limited
DRI
Low Carbon
-
Rio Tinto
Paul Wurth S.A.
SHS-Stahl-Holding-Saar GmbH & Co. KGaA (SHS)
- Feb 2021
- 4th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Inactive
Signed MoU to explore the viability of transforming iron ore pellets into low-carbon hot briquetted iron (HBI), a low-carbon steel feedstock, using green hydrogen generated from hydro-electricity in Canada.
Feasibility studies were scheduled to finish in 2021 and investment choices were expected to follow.
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Vale
Boston Metal
- Feb 2021
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Vale invested US$6 million
Pilot
Vale invested in Boston Metal to acquire a minority stake in the company to promote the development of steel decarbonization technology.
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-
BHP
Boston Metal
- Jan 2021
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Pilot
BHP was among investors backing a $50 million fundraising round for Boston Metal, a green steel startup.
BHP ores are being used in trials.
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Ansteel
- 2021
- 6th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- RMB 3 billion
-
Exaust emissions management
Ansteel has completed more than 30 pollution prevention and control projects such as the Bayuquan coking VOCs treatment and coking and coal blending system unorganized dust control.
It has also approved more than another 100 projects worth over RMB 3 billion.
By the end of 2021, Ansteel had completed more than 200 ultra-low emission upgrading projects, and currently is working on more than 130 such projects.
2021 sustainability report p. 56
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Rio Tinto
China Baowu
- Dec 2020
- 23rd Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Lump drying: pilot under construction
DRI: R&D
Climate partnership initially began in Dec 2020.
An MoU was then signed in Jun 2023 to develop projects aimed at enabling lower grade ore to be used in low-carbon steelmaking.
One project involves lump drying tech, through which CO2 emissions will be reduced by 32,000 tonnes per year in Meigang.
The collaboration also includes building a pilot-scale plant at one of Baowu's steel mills in China that will allow Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) steelmaking using low and medium grade ores.
The companies intend to build a pilot scale melter by 2025.
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BF optimisation
Limited
DRI + ESF
Green
-
Rio Tinto
Nippon Steel
- Dec 2020
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
MoU signed
Signed MoU to jointly explore, develop and demonstrate technologies to transition to a low-carbon emission steel value chain.
Rio categorised this partnership as BF optimisation in the 2022 Climate report.
In 2024, Rio aims to continue research on pelletisation of Pilbara ores with Nippon Steel.
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BF optimisation
Limited
Pelletisation
Green
-
Rio Tinto
Tsingua University (+ Baowu)
- Nov 2020
- 4th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Rio to invest $4.5 million over 5 years
R&D
Rio Tinto and Tsinghua University established the Joint Research Centre in 2012, and committed more funding to this in 2020.
The partnership will continue to focus on sustainability issues, particularly those that support Rio Tinto’s 2050 net zero emissions strategy and the company’s collaboration to reduce emissions and improve environmental performance across steel value chain as part of the separate Rio Tinto-China Baowu Steel Group-Tsinghua University Partnership.
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Fortescue
CSIRO
Hyundai
- Sep 2020
- 19th Feb 2024
- Not disclosed
- AU$20 million from Fortescue
R&D
Entered a 5 yr agreement in Nov 2018 with CSIRO allowing Fortescue to fund selected H2technologies.
MoU was then signed in Sep 2020.
The focus is on the use of a metal membrane developed by CSIRO to extract hydrogen and deliver it in the form of liquid ammonia to the global market.
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Green H2 production
Green
-
Vale
KOBELCO
Mitsui & Co
- Jul 2020
- 7th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Agreement signed
Signed a non-binding heads of agreement (HoA) on providing low-CO2 steelmaking solutions for the global steel industry.
KOBELCO will work with its US subsidiary Midrex Technologies and Vale's tecnored tech.
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Ironmaking using biomass
Low Carbon
DRI/HBI with gas
Low Carbon
-
ArcelorMittal
- 2020
- 14th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
Large scale demo
From 2020, Arcelor was setting up H2 injection into BFs at multiple steelmaking facilities: at Dunkirk and Bremen.
This project appears to be on hold or cancelled, as DRI facilities and EAFs will now be constructed at both Dunkirk and Bremen.
-
BF with H2 injection
Low Carbon
-
ArcelorMittal
KOBELCO
- Sep 2019
- 6th Mar 2024
- Demonstration plant to produce 100,000 t DRI annually
- Not disclosed
R&D
Signed a Framework Collaboration Agreement (FCA) to supply the hydrogen-based direct reduction ironmaking technology (MIDREX tech) in the research and development of low-carbon ironmaking using hydrogen in Hamberg.
The pilot plant should hould be running as of 2024, though it will use grey hydrogen until green hydrogen can be produced in sufficient quantities.
ArcelorMittal is counting on the supply of green hydrogen from proposed electrolyser in Moorburg, which is expected to produce hydrogen from renewables as early as 2025.
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TATA Steel
- 2019
- 25th Aug 2025
- Pilot capacity is 60,000 tonnes liquid pig iron annually
- Not disclosed
Pilot
HiSarna: a variation to the BF that removes the need for pre-processing met coal and iron ore, thus reducing emissions and run costs.
The melting technology component was originally developed by Rio, but all patents are now held by TATA.
It reportedly produces 20% lower emissions compared to a standard BF, and CCUS could increase this. CCUS should be more effective on HiSarna compared to a typical BF as emissions are concentrated in one furnace.
TATA Steel commenced a small pilot in 2018 and successfully concluded it in 2019. The company reportedly aims to reach large scale production around 2030, though there have been no recent updates or announcements of future plans.
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Coal-based smelting
Low Carbon
-
Nippon Steel
Tohoku University
Osaka City University
- 2018
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Jointly developing a catalytic process to synthesize polycarbonate intermediates from CO2 at normal pressure.
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Nippon Steel
Toyama University
- 2017
- 5th Mar 2024
- Not disclosed
- Not disclosed
R&D
Jointly developing a catalytic technology to synthesize CO2 and hydrogen, and produce industrial paraxylene, a feedstock material for polyesters such as polyester fibers and plastic bottles.
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Nippon Steel
- 2014
- 6th Mar 2024
- Muroran Works: 120 t-CO2/day capacity
- Not disclosed
Commercial
Escap technology: CO2 separation and recovery process.
This uses chemical absorption, one of the methods for CO2 separation and recovery. Two units are already in operation in Japan, including the one installed in the North Nippon Works Muroran Area.
This is subsidised by the Green Innovation Fund.
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JFE Steel
Nippon Steel
KOBELCO
Nippon Steel Engineering
NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization)
- 2008
- 6th Mar 2024
- Carbon recycling BF: 150m3
- JPY 43.6 billion provided by Green Innovation Fund
Pilot
COURSE50: being developed by 4 Japanese steel-related companies on behalf of NEDO.
The aim is to reduce emissions from BFs. COURSE50 started the development of elemental technology in 2008, constructed a test blast furnace in 2013, and is currently conducting practical research.
The project aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% and is expected to be implemented at full scale after 2030.
JFE plans to begin construction of carbon recycling BF at Chiba district in 2023.
NSC plans to demonstrate the tech at Kimitsu No. 2 blast furnace in the second half of fiscal 2025.
-
CCUS
Limited
BF with H2 injection
Low Carbon
-
KOBELCO
- 1960
- 6th Mar 2024
- ~70 million tonnes DRI in 2021
- Not disclosed
Full scale
MIDREX: direct reduction ironmaking method that utilizes natural gas. It can reduce CO2 emissions in the ironmaking process by 20–40% compared to the blast furnace method. It is already at commercial scale, and modifications are under development to allow hydrogen to replace natural gas.
MIDREX Flex: provides the flexibility to operate on any mixture of natural gas and hydrogen (up to 100% hydrogen) with some low-risk modifications
MIDREX H2: this technology is specifically for 100% hydrogen operation or for majority hydrogen operation with minimal natural gas usage
-
DRI/HBI with gas
Low Carbon