ArcelorMittal announced that it has successfully tested the use of green hydrogen in the production of direct reduced iron (DRI) at its steel plant in Contrecoeur, Quebec.
The objective of the test was to assess the ability to replace the use of natural gas with green hydrogen in the iron ore reduction process. During this test, 6.8% of natural gas was replaced with green hydrogen during a 24-h period, which contributed to a measurable reduction in CO2 emissions. This is a major step forward since the iron ore reduction process alone contributes to more than 75% of ArcelorMittal Long Products Canada’s (AMLPC) overall CO2 emissions.
AMLPC is evaluating the possibility of carrying out further tests in the coming months by increasing the use of green hydrogen at the DRI plant, which could eventually reduce CO2 emissions in Contrecoeur by several hundred thousand tonnes per year.
AMLPC’s low-carbon footprint is driven by its EAF-DRI pathway to steelmaking, use of renewable electricity and locally-sourced iron ore and scrap metal.
ArcelorMittal aims to reduce its CO2 emissions intensity by 25% by 2030 on a global scale and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
