Leading steel company ArcelorMittal has successfully tested the use of “green” hydrogen in the production of direct reduced iron (DRI) at its steel plant in Contrecoeur, Que. The company says this test is an important milestone in the company’s journey to produce zero carbon emissions steel via the DRI-based steelmaking route using green hydrogen as an input.
The objective of the test was to assess the ability to replace the use of natural gas with hydrogen in the iron ore reduction process. During this first test, 6.8% of natural gas was replaced with hydrogen during a 24-hour period, which contributed to a measurable reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
The hydrogen used in the test was produced by a third-party owned electrolyzer (device that produces hydrogen from electricity and water) and was then transported to Contrecoeur. This is a major step…