stahl.: So what do we do with the existing steel plants?
Hansmann: In Europe, most large steel plants are opting for the combination of direct reduction and electric arc furnaces. In the first phase, the operators use natural gas for direct reduction. However, the technology is designed so that 100 percent hydrogen can be used in the future. We are currently building such a flagship project for thyssenkrupp Steel in Duisburg. This follows the logic that there are differences between melting in the arc furnace and melting in the electric reduction furnace, depending on what is fed into the direct reduction module. We have already seen many such projects in Europe. Not only thyssenkrupp, but also Saarstahl, Salzgitter, or ArcelorMittal have announced similar projects. The problem, as always, is the availability of green and economically attractive hydrogen.
stahl.: How do you assess the future availability of hydrogen?
Hansmann: That’s hard to judge. Investment is currently being made in the distribution network for hydrogen. And we will see where we stand in 2026 when the plant goes into operation. But it’s not just about availability, it’s also about costs. Economically attractive hydrogen will be produced outside of Europe. And that brings up another point: How do you transport the hydrogen from where it’s produced to where it’s needed? We’re all familiar with the discussions about ammonia, methanol, ethanol. There are various concepts, and as a technology provider, we are trying to find ways to handle the different options and incorporate them into our processes as effectively as possible.
stahl.: But your credo is: “We can adapt to our customers. Whether it’s ammonia, hydrogen, or something else, we can implement the right solution.”
Hansmann: It’s not enough to wait for the day when hydrogen is freely available. We need to find interim solutions for decarbonization. That’s why we’re working intensively on technologies that make it possible to continue operating a blast furnace while reducing CO2 emissions by 50 to 70 percent. There have to be intermediate steps to give the steel industry and our customers the chance to absorb the investments. We want to create the possibility to drastically reduce the CO2 emissions of a blast furnace. In the future, we can work towards a second transitional step, which may come when the availability of hydrogen or something else is assured. But here and now, we can already make progress.