Hydrogen-based, direct-reduced iron project developer GravitHy has filed building permit and environmental authorization applications for its planned low-carbon iron project at Fos-sur-Mer, France, marking a key regulatory step for one of Europe’s emerging hydrogen-based steel decarbonization projects.
The French industrial company is targeting an annual production of 2 million metric tons of hot briquetted iron at the Fos-sur-Mer location, a strategic location due to the area’s port and logistics infrastructure, access to industrial water, available land and proximity to steel value-chain participants, such as Marcegaglia Fos-sur-Mer and ArcelorMittal.
The material is intended for use in electric arc furnaces, offering European steelmakers a lower-carbon feedstock as the sector seeks to reduce reliance on coal-based blast furnace routes.
GravitHy’s process is based on the direct reduction of iron ore using low-carbon hydrogen produced on-site through water electrolysis. The company says the project could help steelmakers cut emissions by about 90% compared with conventional processes, while the plant could avoid up to 4 million mt/year of CO2 emissions at full capacity.
The company said the permit filing is a decisive step ahead of a final investment decision, underscoring the commercial and policy momentum behind hydrogen-based iron production in Europe.
Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed Northwest European hot-rolled coil carbon-accounted at Eur775/mt ex-works Ruhr July 22, stable day over day.
Author: Annalisa Villa
