IGEM is working with Celsa UK and CR Plus as part of a study for hydrogen-based steelmaking techniques
IGEM is delighted to be working with Celsa UK and CR Plus as part of a £426k study into hydrogen-based steelmaking techniques, with the UK Government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) supporting this work.
Celsa UK have made strides in decarbonising their steelworks with an electric arc furnace, and some of their further work now involves decarbonising their natural gas fired billet steel reheating furnaces used in two downstream processing mills.
The Celsa H2 Energy Mill Study has already made quick progress in assessing the risks and opportunities for the conversion of one mill to low carbon hydrogen. Being the first planned UK conversion at this scale (~50 MW thermal) the project is de-risking the steps required with the full range of stakeholders that are needed to achieve this transition.
As part of the project, IGEM is working with an industry partner to undertake an assessment of the standards required for the installation of an on-site hydrogen pipeline system and the specified skills and resource requirements.
The implementation of this project would save about 22,000 tonnes of CO2 at the Section Mill. It would also enable confidence in the conversion of the other reheat furnace at the Rod & Bar Mill, and the ladles furnaces at the Melt Shop, which would further enable about 60,000 tonnes of CO2 reduction.
With collaboration from the South Wales Industrial Cluster (SWIC), the team will be sharing learnings on hydrogen implementation at a high-temperature application, and more specifically furnaces, with SWIC partners to enable others to take a step towards low carbon hydrogen.
As this work progresses, it will likely “kickstart” the creation of hydrogen supply infrastructure for the local Cardiff area, Cardiff dock, and industrial estates.
Commenting on the award of IETF funding in Wales, Graham Stuart, Minister at the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “South Wales has both a proud history of industrial enterprise and a wide catalogue of next generation green innovators.
“That is why today the UK government has awarded two leading Welsh companies with funding that will help to boost the energy efficiency of their industrial processes.
“This will create new opportunities for the region to become a leader in the low carbon sector, while cutting costs and securing jobs and investment for the region.”