Midrex and Paul Wurth selected by H2 Green Steel

2022-10-13

Oct. 12, 2022 - Midrex Technologies, Inc. (Midrex) and Paul Wurth, an SMS group company, announce a signed agreement with H2 Green Steel to supply the world’s first commercial 100 percent hydrogen direct reduced iron (DRI) plant. The 2.1 million tons per year MIDREX H2TM Plant will be located in Boden, northern Sweden. H2 Green Steel will produce green steel, reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 95 percent compared to traditional steelmaking. By replacing coal with green hydrogen powered by renewable electricity, water and heat become the primary emissions. The plant is expected to begin production in 2025 and ramp up during 2026.

“This unique project is a ‘lighthouse’ to our industry and sets the standard for green steel. There is simply nothing like it – 100 percent hydrogen from day one to produce over 2 Mt/y of DRI with up to 95% reduction in CO2 emissions,” says Stephen C. Montague, President and CEO of Midrex Technologies, Inc. “This is where Midrex wants to be – at the leading edge of technology.”

This first-of-a-kind DRI plant will be provided by a consortium of Midrex and Paul Wurth. The plant is designed to simultaneously produce hot DRI for use in the adjacent EAF as well as hot briquetted iron (HBI).  Also included is the latest innovation from Midrex, an electric heater for the recirculating hydrogen gas designed and supplied in partnership with the Tutco SureHeat business of Flex-Tek Group, a division of the UK-based engineering company Smiths Group plc.

Dr. Thomas Hansmann, Head of Metallurgy, SMS group and CTO for Paul Wurth, said, “We are thrilled to be the forerunners in the green steel revolution. Our mission is to accelerate the decarbonization of the steel industry and thanks to the H2 Green Steel vision we are marking a milestone in the roadmap towards climate-friendly production; in 2025 the world’s first large-scale green steel plant will be a reality.”

“In our steel plant, we will reduce CO2 emissions with up to 95 percent compared to traditional steelmaking. The bulk of that reduction is achieved in the process step where we reduce the iron ore to sponge with Midrex’s technology,” adds Maria Persson Gulda, CTO of H2 Green Steel. “We started working together almost two years ago and during this time, the team at Midrex has demonstrated a capability for rapid technical development, leading to a package that wraps the world’s largest hydrogen electrical heater with the DRI process, to secure a completely green solution for iron reduction. This DRI plant will truly be first of its kind and a landmark for large scale green steel production.”

With green steel at the forefront of the steelmaking industry, this partnership further establishes Midrex, Paul Wurth and H2 Green Steel as leaders in this initiative. Over the next few years, these three companies will continue driving this project to present to the industry a remarkable and unique DRI-EAF facility.