Vattenfall, SSAB and LKAB have successfully trialed the production of fossil-fuel free iron ore pellets in Sweden.
The Hybrit initiative trialed production at a LKAB pellet plant.
Full-scale tests are currently underway to replace fossil oil with bio-oil in one of LKAB’s existing pellet plants in Malmberget, reducing emissions for the operation by 40% during the test period, which will last until 2021.
The tests are part of the pilot phase in Hybrit, where the goal is to be first in the world with a fossil-free value chain from mine, using fossil-free electricity and hydrogen, to finished steel product, cutting Sweden’s carbon dioxide emissions by 10%.
Construction of the pilot plant for fossil-free sponge iron in Lulea will be completed during the summer, and preparations are under way to build a temporary hydrogen storage facility to store fossil-free hydrogen in caverns.
LKAB senior vice president market and technology Markus Petajaniemi said: “Achieving positive results from different heating technologies represents an important milestone on the road to delivering the world’s very first fossil-free iron ore pellets and further on in the value chain for fossil-free steel.
“The Hybrit initiative is a key to achieving LKAB’s goal of being a leading supplier of fossil-free iron ore, initially in a fossil-free value chain from mine to fossil-free steel, and in the long term totally carbon dioxide-free.”
Vattenfall senior vice president of strategic development and Hybrit chairman Andreas Regnell said: “It’s very pleasing that our joint Hybrit project is constantly taking important steps forwards, steps that will enable us to produce fossil-free steel, which has a natural place in a fossil-free society.
“We’re working in a focused way to make it possible to live a fossil-free life within a generation.”
SSAB chief technology officer Martin Pei said: “More steel will be needed as the world’s population increases and cities grow. But current steelmaking generates vast amounts of carbon dioxide emissions. It’s not sustainable.
“With the Hybrit initiative, we’re revolutionising an entire industry and introducing a new technology for fossil-free steel on an industrial scale.
“SSAB’s goal is to be able to offer fossil-free steel to the market as early as 2026 and to be totally fossil-free as a company by 2045.”