ArcelorMittal, the world’s leading steel and mining company, has announced the construction of an electrolysis pilot plant at its Eisenhüttenstadt site in Germany. This plant will have a capacity of 2 MW and will be commissioned in 2024.
ArcelorMittal commits to low-carbon steel production using hydrogen
It will be powered by McPhy Energy’s McLyzer electrolyzers and will provide low-carbon hydrogen for the steel production and logistics processes on site.
The project is being carried out in cooperation with the energy supplier Vulkan Energiewirtschaft Oderbrücke (VEO) and is financed by the Brandenburg region to the tune of 5.1 million euros. The Brandenburg Technical University (BTU) Cottbus is also providing scientific support to the project for the technological development of electrolysis.
The project also aims to test new intelligent operating modes to optimize the overall energy efficiency of the production site. These modes of operation should help determine the best combination of software and hardware to improve system performance.
Hydrogen, a green energy carrier of great importance for industry and mobility
Reiner Blaschek, Managing Director of ArcelorMittal Germany, said: “The pilot plant will provide hydrogen for the production of steel and the use of hydrogen-powered vehicles for logistical support. With this project, we want to investigate and demonstrate how far it is possible to reduce emissions now. This, before a complete change of technology and the use of more hydrogen in the coming years convert the production completely to climate neutrality.”
Jörg Steinbach, Minister of Economics of the State of Brandenburg, also emphasized the importance of using hydrogen in steel production for the energy transition and the reduction of CO2 emissions in the long term.
This innovative project is an important step in the European expansion strategy of McPhy Energy, which will supply the electrolysers for the pilot plant. Prof. Dr. Lars Röntzsch of the Technical University of Brandenburg said, “Hydrogen will be a green energy carrier of great importance for industry and mobility in Brandenburg.”
All in all, the construction of the pilot smelter at the Eisenhüttenstadt site is an innovative project that will enable ArcelorMittal to reduce its CO2 emissions and move towards low-carbon steel production. This project also shows the importance of the use of hydrogen for the energy transition and the reduction of CO2 emissions in industry.
