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19-04-2017
Reducing the carbon footprint of the steel industry, 19-20 AprilCarbon capture is a vital tool in the decarbonization of the steel industrySummary on the CATO-ECN event ‘Reducing the carbon footprint of the steel industry'. On the 19th and 20th of April 2017, approximately 60 participants took part in a two-day conference to discuss the role of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) in the European steel industry. The event was organized by CATO, the Dutch national research programme for CCUS, and the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands, ECN. The event was also sponsored by TKI Gas, the Dutch platform for knowledge and innovation in gas. As well as bringing the Dutch and international CCUS research community together, the event also served as an outreach event of two large European H2020 projects, STEPWISE and FReSMe.
The flags of the organising institutes and represented projects fly at ECN
The event was opened by Jan Hopman, Director of CATO. Mr Hopman emphasized the urgency of climate change mitigation, highlighting that global CO2 emissions must peak before 2021 in order limit global warming to 1.5°C, or 2036 to limit warming to 2.0°C against pre-industrial levels.
Paul Cobden, Senior Researcher at ECN, introducing the STEPWISE and FReSMe projects
The scientific programme of the first day included an introduction to the European funded Horizon 2020 projects, STEPWISE, coordinated by ECN and FReSMe, coordinated by I-DEALS, with ECN as partner. Paul Cobden, Senior Researcher at ECN gave a technical overview of both projects. The STEPWISE project will develop a pilot-scale CO2 capture installation at a blast furnace, using ECN's Sorption Enhanced Water-Gas Shift (SEWGS) technology to efficiently remove CO2 from blast furnace gas. This configuration can facilitate a 85% removal of the in CO2 emissions from the blast furnace, and results in a H2-rich product gas which can be used for multiple energy applications.
Jan van der Stel, R&D Manager at Tata Steel explaning the evolution of development and testing of the HIsarna steel making process
The audience were also given an overview and update of Tata Steel's HIsarna pilot plant, presented by Mr Jan van der Stel, Knowledge Group Manager Ironmaking at Tata Steel. HIsarna is a new steelmaking process in which iron ore is processed almost directly into hot metal product, removing the need for sintering or the production of coke. The HIsarna process uses approximately 20% less energy and emits 20% less CO2 per ton of steel compared to conventional blast furnace production routes. Furthermore, the off-gas of the HIsarna vessel is rich in CO2, and could therefore be relatively efficiently captured and stored geologically, or be used in CO2 re-use projects. Combining HIsarna with CCS could reduce the CO2 emissions associated with primary steel production by 80%.
The CATO and ECN team look back on an interesting and timely event and would like to thank all the presenters and participants for making it a success..
The participants of the event pictured in front of the HIsarna pilot facility at the Tata Steel works in IJmuiden
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