Contracts for ‘world’s first’ 100% hydrogen iron plant

A subsidiary of Kobe Steel and its consortium partner Paul Wurth, an SMS group company, have signed a contract with Sweden-based H2 Green Steel to supply technology for the world’s first commercial 100% hydrogen direct reduced iron (DRI) plant.

Kobe Steel subsidiary Midrex Technologies will supply MIDREX H2TM technology for the plant, which is expected to start operation in 2025 and have an annual capacity of 2.1 million tonnes of DRI and Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI).

In addition, Kobe Steel has decided to invest in H2 Green Steel and has begun discussions with H2 Green Steel for the possible purchase of green HBI in the future.

H2 Green Steel was launched in 2021 with the ambition to accelerate the decarbonisation of the steel industry using green hydrogen. Currently, H2 Green Steel is building a green steel plant in Boden, Sweden. This project will use only green electricity to produce hydrogen by electrolysis.

The green hydrogen will be used as the reducing agent to produce both hot DRI (HDRI) and HBI. The HDRI will be used to produce green steel for automotive and other industries. H2 Green Steel aims to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 95% compared to the traditional steelmaking process.