Norwegian hydrogen hub enables lower emission steel production

Statkraft already supplies renewable energy from its hydropower plant in Mo i Rana in northern Norway to CELSA’s steel mill, and the water from the power plant is also used to cool the steel to give it the right quality.

However, certain parts of the production process cannot be electrified directly using hydropower, and a combination of low-grade oil, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), and carbon monoxide gas must be used to generate sufficiently high temperatures in the rolling furnace.

Statkraft is working on a solution where these fossil fuels can be replaced with green hydrogen from a new electrolysis facility. By switching to green hydrogen, annual emissions from the rolling process at CELSA’s steel mill could be reduced from 60,000 tonnes to zero. The overall goal is to produce lower emission reinforcement steel for the construction market.

Close collaboration between a range of parties is needed to realise the project. This includes co-ordination with process equipment suppliers, the power grid operator, and Mo Industrial Park where there is the potential to benefit from synergies in logistics and district heating.

Ramboll has supported Statkraft with the development of the new electrolysis facility by providing assistance during the feasibility phase as well as the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) and Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) tendering.

Innovation is a key element of the initiative as the technology that can deliver the power needed for a rolling process based on 100 per cent hydrogen does not exist today.