On June 4, in the frame of the XXIV St. Petersburg International Economic Forum JSC Rusatom Overseas (a company of ROSATOM), Metalloinvest, a leading manufacturer and supplier of iron ore products and hot briquetted iron (HBI) in the world market, one of the regional producers of high-quality steel, and Air Liquide, a leading producer of industrial gases, signed a memorandum of understanding to study the possibility of organizing low-carbon production of hydrogen.
As part of the joint work, the parties plan to evaluate the technical and commercial aspects of a potential project for the production of environmentally friendly hydrogen for Metalloinvest factories located in Belgorod and Kursk regions.
Electrolysis of water using low-carbon electricity ("yellow" and / or "green" hydrogen) and steam reforming of methane in combination with carbon capture technologies ("blue" hydrogen) are considered as possible means for hydrogen production.
The document was signed by the President of Rusatom Overseas JSC Evgeny Pakermanov, CEO of Metalloinvest Nazim Efendiyev and Marilene Turcotte, General Director of Air Liquide in Russia.
“Together with our colleagues, we plan to work out the most cost-effective possible models for organizing the production of low-carbon hydrogen for the needs of Metalloinvest enterprises, estimate capital costs and make a preliminary estimate of the cost of hydrogen production and resources required to convert the holding's enterprises to low-carbon hydrogen. The estimated volume of low-carbon hydrogen consumption by Metalloinvest enterprises may reach 150,000 tons per year,” said Evgeny Pakermanov, President of Rusatom Overseas JSC.
“This agreement is an important stage in the implementation of Metalloinvest's strategy aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of its products, - Nazim Efendiev stressed - Already today the Company has the opportunity to modernize equipment to use up to 30% hydrogen as a reducing gas. The new metallization plant for Mikhailovsky HBI is being designed on the principles of carbon-free metallurgy - with the view to completely switch over to the use of hydrogen as a reducing agent. As part of the implementation of the Climate Strategy approved this year, we have begun a detailed development of Metalloinvest's Hydrogen Strategy, which foresees the production and introduction of hydrogen into the main production processes in order to achieve carbon neutrality. "
"Decarbonizing the Industry is at the heart of Air Liquide’s strategy and we are committed to accompanying our customers with innovative technologies, operational expertise and the drive to move industry forward toward a low-carbon future. Air Liquide is pleased to join forces with MetalloInvest and Rosatom to achieve such ambitious targets and brings to this cooperation a unique know-how developed over 50 years of experience in hydrogen technologies contributing to the future of steelmaking," said Marilene Turcotte, General Manager, Air Liquide in Russia.
In the long term, Metalloinvest plans to completely switch to the use of hydrogen in metallization plants, and by 2025 sets itself the goal of reducing its own CO2-equivalent emissions by 6%. In 15 years, the holding's emissions can be reduced by 77%.