On February 26 and 27, 2025, the kick-off meeting for the Horizon Europe project SYRIUS ("SOEC Hydrogen Integration and Circular Use in Steelmaking Process") was held at project partner Acciai Speciali Terni Spa. This EU-funded project brings together leading research institutions and companies with the goal of demonstrating innovative hydrogen technologies in steel production.
SYRIUS aims to reduce CO₂ emissions while improving energy efficiency through the use of hydrogen technologies. Over the next four and a half years, the project—funded with €10 million—will integrate a 4.2 MW solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) into an existing electric steel plant. This electrolyzer is designed to produce 100 kg of green hydrogen per hour, which will be used to power a reheating furnace for steel slabs with a heating capacity of 84 MW and a throughput of 280 tons per hour.
Smart Energy Management and Resource Efficiency
A smart energy management system (EMS) will control the electrolyzer, hydrogen storage, and two photovoltaic systems. Additionally, waste heat will be used to generate steam, further improving energy efficiency and conserving resources.
These measures are expected to reduce CO₂ emissions from the steel reheating process by 5,600 tons per year during the project’s duration. SYRIUS contributes to the EU hydrogen strategy and supports the climate neutrality goals of the Green Deal. The insights gained will help pave the way toward more sustainable steel production and strengthen the competitiveness of European industry.
Consortium and Evaluation Approach
The project is coordinated by EU CORE Consulting and includes eleven partners from industry and research. This close cooperation ensures that both economic and technical factors are taken into account to enable wide industrial adoption. The Institute for Industrial Furnace Construction and Heat Engineering (IOB) at RWTH Aachen University will assess the ecological and social benefits, as well as the circularity of the new system in relation to installation and operating costs. This evaluation will cover the entire process throughout the project duration.
