Germany – Lower Saxony’s Environment and Energy Minister Meyer officially opened the largest hydrogen direct reduction facility in the world for the production of green iron in Lingen on behalf of HyIron.
Iron ore may now be reduced entirely with the help of green hydrogen, and therefore in a completely climate-neutral manner, with the commissioning of the largest direct reduction plant for green iron on the site of RWE’s Emsland gas-fired power station. The plant’s construction will cost three million euros, according to the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment.
RWE and Benteler Steel/Tube are two further related partners working on the project with HyIron. Through this project, the partners are also experimenting with using sponge iron in the production of steel beginning in 2024. After that, it will be further processed into steel by being melted down with scrap steel. Low-CO2 tubes are to be made with Lingen steel, according to Benteler Steel/Tube. The research project’s initial stage is to use green hydrogen to make more than a ton of green iron each hour.
Technology
The creation of a unique gas-tight rotary kiln has allowed for the development of this technique. Here, the iron ore’s oxygen entirely combines with the hydrogen to form elemental iron. This technology only generates water vapor, which may be utilized again to produce hydrogen, rather than carbon dioxide.
Utilizing the worldwide potential for iron production that is climate neutral is made possible by HyIron’s technology. These crucial raw materials may now be produced sustainably in Germany thanks to mechanisms like climate protection agreements. The large concentration of hydrogen projects in the Emsland H2 region in general and specifically at the site of RWE’s Emsland gas-fired power plant influenced the decision for Lingen’s placement.
In the future, RWE’s 14-megawatt pilot electrolysis plant, which is anticipated to begin operations next to the direct reduction plant by the end of 2023, will be used to generate the green hydrogen for HyIron.The development of the pilot electrolysis plant is being supported by an eight million euro grant from the Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy, and Climate Protection.
