International Steel Mills
CRU: Nippon Steel claims breakthrough in hydrogen use
Written by CRU
January 2, 2025
Japan’s Nippon Steel says it has achieved the world’s highest reduction in CO2 emissions to date by using heated hydrogen instead of coal to reduce iron ore in a blast furnace.
The steelmaker has trialed its Super COURSE50 technology in a pilot blast furnace (BF), with an inner volume of 12 cubic meters, at the Kimitsu area of the East Nippon works since May 2022.
The company says carbon dioxide emissions were reduced by 22% in 2022, followed by 33% in 2023, and 43% in a test conducted between November and December 2024. Progress was achieved by improving the heat balance of hydrogen used in the reduction of iron ore.
Nippon Steel says it will continue to develop technologies based on hydrogen-reduction to cut CO2 emissions from steelmaking by more than 50%, as well as scale up the technology so it can be used in large BFs.
Partners in the government-funded project include compatriot integrated steelmakers JFE and Kobe.
This analysis was first published by CRU. To learn about CRU’s global commodities research and analysis services, visit www.crugroup.com.
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