Lulea. In Luleå in northern Sweden, the steel company SSAB, the mining company LKAB and the state energy company Vattenfall put the world's first pilot plant called "HYBRIT" into operation for the production of fossil-free sponge iron in the presence of the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and the Minister for Environment and Climate, Isabella Lövin . The aim is to “create a complete value chain for fossil-free steel,” according to the companies. To do this, they founded the company “Hybrit Development” together.
This is the foundation for “the Swedish steel industry to be completely fossil and carbon dioxide-free in 20 years,” said Stefan Löfven. “Together we can transform Sweden into the first fossil-free nation in the world.” Through the “Leadership Group for Industry Transition,” which Sweden is currently leading on behalf of the United Nations, the HYBRIT concept “now has the chance to gain global attention,” emphasized Isabella Lövin.
Construction of the pilot plant for fossil-free sponge iron (DRI/HBI) began in June 2018. HYBRIT will now carry out tests on the use of hydrogen in the direct reduction of iron ore in several steps. The gas is produced by electrolysis using “fossil-free electricity,” it is said. Between 2020 and 2024, natural gas and then hydrogen will be used to compare production results. The framework for HYBRIT also includes replacing mineral oil with bio-oil in one of LKAB's existing pellet plants in Malmberget in a test period until 2021. Preparations for the construction of a hydrogen storage facility are currently underway on a site owned by the company near the HYBRIT plant. Fossil-free electricity to produce hydrogen are “the key components” – not just for steel, but also “because storing hydrogen can balance an electricity system with growing, weather-dependent electricity generation and increased control demand,” says Magnus Hall, President and CEO from Vattenfall.
According to the information, the HYBRIT initiative has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by ten percent in Sweden and by seven percent in Finland. Today the steel industry produces seven percent of total global carbon dioxide emissions. With HYBRIT, SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall want to create a completely fossil-free value chain from the mine to the finished steel and introduce a completely new technology that uses fossil-free hydrogen instead of coal and coke. The system is financially supported by the Swedish Energy Agency.
Deep link:
https://www.pressebox.de/inaktiv/vattenfall-gmbh/HYBRIT-Vattenfall-SSAB-und-LKAB-und-starten-die-weltweit-erste-Pilotanlage-fuer-fossilfreien-Stahl/boxid/1020941
http://www.hybritdevelopment.com
Photos
In Sweden, the HYBRIT pilot project was put into operation in the presence of Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven (center) / © Vattenfall, Viveka Österman
