The global steel industry is responsible for approximately eight percent of worldwide CO₂ emissions. Given the rising demand for steel and the ambitious EU climate goals, transitioning to more environmentally friendly production methods is urgently needed.
One promising approach is to use hydrogen instead of carbon for iron ore reduction. This process produces only water as a byproduct, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions in steel production.
ZEROSTEEL Project: European Collaboration for Green Steel Production
As part of the ZEROSTEEL project, the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) collaborates with international partners from industry and research, including the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), and the Vienna University of Technology. The project's goal is to cut CO₂ emissions in steel production by using hydrogen and renewable energy sources.
BAM is conducting laboratory experiments on hydrogen-based direct reduction of iron ore to identify optimization potential. A pilot plant is being used to test whether this process can be implemented on an industrial scale.
Additionally, BAM is researching iron ore melt reduction using hydrogen plasma as an alternative method. Another approach involves using climate-neutral carbon carriers such as biochar to further reduce CO₂ emissions in steel production.
The Importance of the Project for the Future of the Steel Industry
By researching and implementing these innovative processes, steel production could become more sustainable. The ZEROSTEEL project thus makes a significant contribution to achieving climate targets and transforming the steel industry into a more environmentally friendly sector.
