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Blueprint for decarbonization of industry. Engine of the European hydrogen economy. An important decision for climate change mitigation and for Germany as an industrial center.

The 100% hydrogen-capable direct reduction plant with two melters has a production capacity of 2.5 million metric tons of directly reduced iron per year. It is the first plant combination of its kind in the world with this technological concept. This will make thyssenkrupp Steel a pioneer in the decarbonization of the steel value chain in Europe and, among other things, guarantee indispensable specialty materials for the success of the energy and mobility revolution.

Darstellung der DR-Anlage

Sustainable steel production

that saves up to 3.5 million metric tons of CO2 in the first step alone.

Away from iron ore reduction by carbon in the blast furnace. Towards hot metal production through the use of hydrogen in the direct reduction plant and with the help of newly developed melters in the direct reduction plant. A gigantic conversion job which will save up 3.5 million metric tons of CO2 in steel production in the first stage alone. This corresponds to about 2% of the emissions in North Rhine-Westphalia.

But this is just the beginning. By 2045 at the latest, we will be producing carbon-neutral steel at the Duisburg site. To put it in context: With the conventional steelmaking process in our blast furnaces, we are responsible for 20 million metric tons of CO2 per year, and thus for around 2.5% of Germany's CO2 burden. With the new plant, we are already replacing one blast furnace.

With its highly ambitious project, the company is showing that it is possible to decarbonize the steel sector, the largest industrial CO2 emitter in Germany, through the consistent use of hydrogen.

Dr. Robert Habeck, German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection
From 2029 onward, we will need 143,000 metric tons of hydrogen per year to operate the DR plant. This amount is equivalent to filling the Oberhausen gasometer every two hours.

Sustainable steel

that will accelerate the development of the hydrogen economy.

The need for carbon-neutral hydrogen is just as huge as the task of converting our hot metal production. The direct reduction plant will require more hydrogen every two hours than will fit in the Oberhausen gasometer, for example.

Being able to sell such unimaginably large quantities of hydrogen means that European hydrogen manufacturers can now invest massively with great planning certainty. As one of the very important customers in the future, we are thus accelerating the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy.

With the tkH2Steel transformation concept, the hydrogen era has already dawned at thyssenkrupp Steel: We will switch the hot metal production process from coal to hydrogen from 2026, enabling us to save up to 3.5 million tons of CO2 per year with our first direct reduction plant.

Dr. Arnd Köfler, CTO thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG
Sustainable steel that secures jobs and prosperity.

Sustainable steel

that secures jobs and prosperity.

We are strengthening our industrial base and securing attractive jobs in the region – 26,000 directly in the company, 150,000 in downstream industries in North Rhine-Westphalia, while nationwide there are as many as four million jobs in steel-intensive sectors. Our transformation will lead to a large number of new career profiles, make for a qualification boost and create jobs with a secure future.

To put it briefly: we will not only maintain the quality standards of our steel grades. Employees in our plants, at suppliers and processors also stand to benefit from this – both in the Ruhr region and beyond. This means our steel is the starting point for the industrial value chain of the future, the success of the turnaround in energy and climate policy, and for lots of high-quality jobs in Germany and throughout Europe.

By investing in the green transformation, we are securing the future of steel production and the associated jobs here in Duisburg at Europe's largest steel location and all other sites.

Markus Grolms, CHRO thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG

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Press Releases

Robert Habeck, Germany’s Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection visits thyssenkrupp: thyssenkrupp Steel to receive federal and state government funding totaling around two billion euros

Contact

thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG

Mark Stagge

Head of Public & Media Relations

Telephone: +49 (0)203 52-25159

Fax: +49 (0)203 52-25707

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thyssenkrupp Steel Europe

Roswitha Becker

Press spokesperson

Telephone: +49 (0) 203 52-44916

Fax: +49 (0)203 52-25707

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