Germany’s Salzgitter commissions WindH2 project
German steelmaker Salzgitter AG has commissioned its €50 million (US$ 60 million) green hydrogen plant today (11th March) at its steelworks in Salzgitter, H2Bulletin reports.
The project, called ‘Wind Hydrogen Salzgitter – WindH2, has collaborated with Avacon and Linde to produce green hydrogen using wind energy.
Linde, an industrial gas producer, has been supplying hydrogen by truck. Avacon, E.On Group member company, took responsibility for operating seven wind turbines with a total capacity of 30 MW, which would supply power to the electrolyser to produce green hydrogen. Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH installed two Siemens 1.25 MW PEM electrolysers in the steelworks which are capable of generate around 450 Nm³/h of green hydrogen.
Salzgitter aims to cut its emission by 95% until 2050 by using its SALCOS (Salzgitter Low CO2) steelmaking technology project and replacing its blast furnaces with direct reduction plants and electric arc furnaces. Renewable hydrogen will play a key role in decarbonising the steelmaking process.
It currently produces pig iron by using coal in blast furnaces. However, under the direct reduction method, hydrogen directly converts iron ore to almost pure iron by reacting with oxygen in the iron ore. Which is then melted down with steel scrap in an electric arc furnace to produce steel.
