Tata Steel chooses Energiron DRI technology to take a major step into green steel production

Tata Steel Netherlands selected Danieli as technological partner for the Heracless (Hydrogen-Era-Carbon-Less) project, aiming to transition the integrated steel mill in IJmuiden from the current BF-technology to a green hydrogen-based steel production, to pursue a sustainable future.

Tata Steel Netherlands awarded Energiron Alliance (Tenova+Danieli) a contract to perform the design of the future Energiron direct reduction plants in Ijmuiden.

All Energiron® DRI plants are hydrogen-ready by design and can start using hydrogen as reduction gas without equipment modifications.

DRI pellets processed by Energiron® plants allow up to 96% metallization and variable carbon-content ranging from 0.5% with extensive use of hydrogen, and up 4.5% using 100% natural gas.

Thanks to the Energiron DRI technology, Tata Steel Netherlands will be able to use hydrogen in a simple and effective way, producing high-quality green steel in a clean environment.

Energiron® is the DRI technology jointly developed by Tenova and Danieli.

From Tata Steel official announcement released on August 29.

Climate neutral before 2045

“We recently made agreements about our future with two ministries and the province of North Holland. In doing so, we have indicated we want to be CO2 neutral before 2045 and to emit between 35 and 40% less CO2 before 2030. This will largely be achieved via the hydrogen route. We are replacing the blast furnaces with modern technology that uses hydrogen or gas instead of coal”, explains Hans van den Berg, CEO of Tata Steel Nederland.

A unique operation on the Tata Steel site

“What we do is a complicated and unique operation,” explains Annemarie Manger, sustainability director. “The new plants will be built on our site while all the current plants will remain in operation until the new installations are up and running. That means very good and intensive cooperation between all parties and our people. The collaboration with McDermott, Danieli and Hatch is the start of the basic engineering to be able to flesh out our plans more specifically.”