Tata Steel has chosen the hydrogen route for decarbonisation at its IJmuiden steelworks in the Netherlands, which will involve the introduction of direct reduced iron technology and electric arc furnaces. The firm will now carry out a detailed assessment for this purpose.
Tata Steel Europe chief executive Henrik Adam said at the Kallanish Europe Steel Markets virtual conference in June the firm was investigating options for the development of a 100MW green hydrogen electrolyser to feed the steelmaking process at IJmuiden. The producer previously stated it aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 5 million tonnes/year by 2030.
“By choosing hydrogen as the technology to produce steel in the Netherlands, we want to take an important strategic step in making our steel production more sustainable,” says Tata Steel ceo T.V. Narendran. “We fully support the steps to be taken by the management in IJmuiden. The decarbonisation pathway in IJmuiden will also help us chart the future transition roadmap of Tata Steel’s other integrated steel-making sites.”
Tata Steel Netherlands board chairman Hans van den Berg says: “In the next eight years IJmuiden will change into a manufacturing site with fewer chimneys. As a result of our choice for hydrogen we will work closely together with local and national authorities and our direct neighbours to become a green steel manufacturer in a clean environment.”
Separately, Tata Steel has signed up with Danish technology firm Optimum Voyage to use big-data to help lower emissions from ships delivering raw materials to its European operations. The technology will monitor vessels carrying raw materials to Tata Steel and simulate all possible route variations. As well as making journeys more efficient it will allow for any potential changes or delays to ongoing voyages to be planned for in real time, Tata says.
Adam Smith Germany
