Reports related to this article:
Project(s): View 3 related projects in PECWeb
Plant(s): View 2 related plants in PECWeb
Released June 10, 2020 | GALWAY, IRELAND
en
Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Production of fossil-free steel on an industrial scale took a major step forward with construction of a pilot plant slated to go ahead in Norrbotten in Sweden in the next two years.
The HYBRIT pilot plant for fossil-free steel is being developed by steelmaker SSAB (NASDAQ OMX:SSAB A) (Stockholm, Sweden), Sweden's state-owned mining giant LKAB (Luleå) and energy company Vattenfall. The HYBRIT process is based on direct reduction of iron ore using renewable energy and hydrogen gas (H2). Hydrogen gas is produced by electrolysis of water using renewable energy. The commercial-scale plant is set to go live in 2025 and will have an initial capacity of just over 1 million tonnes per year of steel. This is the equivalent of 20% of LKAB's total processing capacity at Malmberget and almost half of the production capacity of SSAB's blast furnace in Luleå.
"We want to build the plant in Norrbotten. There's good access to fossil-free electricity and competence here, as well as close collaboration with academia and the community. A demonstration plant for fossil-free iron production would also be positive for growth and jobs in the region, as well as contributing to a major climate benefit," explained Martin Pei, chief technical officer at SSAB and chairman of HYBRIT.
Markus Petäjäniemi, senior vice president Market and Technology at LKAB, added: "For LKAB, HYBRIT is an important piece of the jigsaw puzzle in a green transition, in which we want to climate-optimize the whole chain from mine to finished steel by the year 2045. We want Norrbotten to be a world-leading arena for innovation and a centre of knowledge for the global mining and minerals sector."
HYBRIT's pilot phase will run in parallel with the demonstration phase. In Luleå, the pilot plant for fossil-free steel will be fully constructed during the summer, and preparations are also under way to initiate construction of a temporary hydrogen store in order to test the technology for storing hydrogen in caverns. Industrial Info reported recently that the $20 million hydrogen gas storage facility will sit 25-35 metres below the ground surface on LKAB's land in Svartöberget, close to the pilot plant currently under construction in Luleå. The storage facility, which will be located in a bedrock cavern with a steel lining as a sealing layer, is expected to operate from 2022 to 2024. For additional information, see October 14, 2020, article - First Fossil-Free Steel Project Invests in Hydrogen Storage Facility.
In related news, Industrial Info reported in May that Vattenfall--the renewable energy partner in the HYBRIT project--announced it was joining efforts to build Europe's largest hydrogen fuel production plant (20 megawatts) at Preem's refinery on the island of Hisingen outside the city of Gothenburg, Sweden. For additional information, see May 20, 2019, article - Swedish Refinery Plans Europe's Largest Hydrogen Plant.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Our European headquarters are located in Galway, Ireland. Follow IIR Europe on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn For more information on our European coverage send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.eu or visit us online at Industrial Info Europe.
The HYBRIT pilot plant for fossil-free steel is being developed by steelmaker SSAB (NASDAQ OMX:SSAB A) (Stockholm, Sweden), Sweden's state-owned mining giant LKAB (Luleå) and energy company Vattenfall. The HYBRIT process is based on direct reduction of iron ore using renewable energy and hydrogen gas (H2). Hydrogen gas is produced by electrolysis of water using renewable energy. The commercial-scale plant is set to go live in 2025 and will have an initial capacity of just over 1 million tonnes per year of steel. This is the equivalent of 20% of LKAB's total processing capacity at Malmberget and almost half of the production capacity of SSAB's blast furnace in Luleå.
"We want to build the plant in Norrbotten. There's good access to fossil-free electricity and competence here, as well as close collaboration with academia and the community. A demonstration plant for fossil-free iron production would also be positive for growth and jobs in the region, as well as contributing to a major climate benefit," explained Martin Pei, chief technical officer at SSAB and chairman of HYBRIT.
Markus Petäjäniemi, senior vice president Market and Technology at LKAB, added: "For LKAB, HYBRIT is an important piece of the jigsaw puzzle in a green transition, in which we want to climate-optimize the whole chain from mine to finished steel by the year 2045. We want Norrbotten to be a world-leading arena for innovation and a centre of knowledge for the global mining and minerals sector."
HYBRIT's pilot phase will run in parallel with the demonstration phase. In Luleå, the pilot plant for fossil-free steel will be fully constructed during the summer, and preparations are also under way to initiate construction of a temporary hydrogen store in order to test the technology for storing hydrogen in caverns. Industrial Info reported recently that the $20 million hydrogen gas storage facility will sit 25-35 metres below the ground surface on LKAB's land in Svartöberget, close to the pilot plant currently under construction in Luleå. The storage facility, which will be located in a bedrock cavern with a steel lining as a sealing layer, is expected to operate from 2022 to 2024. For additional information, see October 14, 2020, article - First Fossil-Free Steel Project Invests in Hydrogen Storage Facility.
In related news, Industrial Info reported in May that Vattenfall--the renewable energy partner in the HYBRIT project--announced it was joining efforts to build Europe's largest hydrogen fuel production plant (20 megawatts) at Preem's refinery on the island of Hisingen outside the city of Gothenburg, Sweden. For additional information, see May 20, 2019, article - Swedish Refinery Plans Europe's Largest Hydrogen Plant.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Our European headquarters are located in Galway, Ireland. Follow IIR Europe on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn For more information on our European coverage send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.eu or visit us online at Industrial Info Europe.
