04 Sep 2024

Six Years of Research Paves the Way for Fossil-Free Iron and Steel Production on an Industrial Scale

The HYBRIT initiative now presents the results of six years of research in a final report to the Swedish Energy Agency. The report shows that direct reduced iron produced with the HYBRIT process has advantageous properties compared to iron produced with fossil fuels. HYBRIT has applied for and received several patents based on the successful results, and the project now continues to the next phase where the process will be implemented on an industrial scale.

Since its inception in 2016, the HYBRIT project has made significant progress in fossil-free steel production. SSAB is now making substantial investments to transform the entire Nordic production system and has begun delivering fossil-free steel on a smaller scale. HYBRIT is a collaboration between SSAB, LKAB, and Vattenfall, aiming to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions by replacing coal with fossil-free hydrogen and electricity. This could reduce Sweden’s total carbon dioxide emissions by over 10%.

The pilot project has demonstrated that the fossil-free value chain works on a semi-industrial scale, with over 5,000 tons of hydrogen-reduced iron produced. The results from six years of research confirm HYBRIT’s fossil-free process, including the development of a new hydrogen-based technology and a fossil-free iron product with better properties than traditional iron.

HYBRIT is now entering the next phase, with continued research and development to support the industrialization of the technology. A demonstration plant is planned in Gällivare, and the pilot project for storing fossil-free hydrogen in Luleå will continue until 2026.

Click here to read more about HYBRIT!

Fotograf: Åsa Bäcklin