Unlocking the Potential of Renewables

Green hydrogen steelmaking will grow with suporting infrastructure.

For anyone who follows industry news, there has been a buzz about hydrogen-enhanced EAF (electric arc furnace) steelmaking that can reduce CO2 emissions by a total of up to 90% compared with traditional blast furnace and BOF (basic oxygen furnace) steelmaking. Hydrogen can provide both thermal energy and reducing reactant conditions, in place of coal and natural gas in steelmaking while releasing only water vapour rather than climate-damaging CO2.

The benefits and technology to use hydrogen in place of coal and coke for steelmaking are generally understood now, and there are challenges and emerging solutions for producing hydrogen so that it’s truly impactful for the steelmaking industry. Among the remaining challenges include making enough hydrogen and making it in a way that is environmentally superior – ideally from renewables. Further, the hydrogen must be made at a price that the market will buy. And, of course, there needs to be enough customers wishing to invest in green hydrogen and green steel.