(Duisburg/Essen) – The power producer STEAG GmbH and Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG have completed a feasibility study for water electrolysis with an output of 520 megawatts. The companies have now signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” to supply Thyssenkrupp in Duisburg with hydrogen and oxygen from the neighboring STEAG site in Duisburg-Walsum.
As part of the joint “HydrOxy Walsum” project, the aim is to advance environmentally friendly steel production. “Our goal is for Thyssenkrupp Steel to be climate neutral by 2045,” says Marie Jaroni, Head of Decarbonization. As an interim step, the aim is to reduce emissions by 2030 percent by 30.
Acquiring funding
The agreement now reached is the “starting signal for the acquisition of funding and private investment capital,” says Karl Resch from STEAG. According to Andreas Reichel, CEO of STEAG, the company wants to largely complete its own coal phase-out “over the next twelve months”. In order to realign itself, STEAG is simultaneously working on hydrogen projects in the Ruhr and Saar as well as the almost completed construction of a new gas and steam turbine power plant in Herne.
The investment decision for water electrolysis in Walsum should be made by 2023 at the latest. Delivery is scheduled to begin in 2025. “We will then put a direct reduction plant into operation on the Thyssenkrupp site in Duisburg. With their help, pig iron will no longer be produced using coke in a blast furnace, but rather almost emission-free using hydrogen,” says Marie Jaroni. The water electrolysis is operated entirely with electricity from renewable sources.
The feasibility study was End 2020 been announced. At the time, Thyssenkrupp expected an initial requirement of 20.000 tons of green hydrogen per year and an increase to around 2050 tons by 720.000 through the gradual conversion of the plants. The companies announced at the time that electrolysis on the STEAG site could deliver up to 75.000 tons of green hydrogen per year.
Class schedule
Representation of the hydrogen production facilities in Walsum. © STEAG
