Home > Business > Industry

Posco, Primetals Technologies to design eco-friendly steelmaking plant

Published: 04 Aug. 2022, 14:06

Kim Ki-soo, left, head of Posco's low-carbon process R&D center, and Friedemann Plaul, head of iron at Primetals Technologies, pose for a photo after signing an agreement to jointly develop technologies to build an eco-friendly steelmaking plant. [POSCO]

Posco signed a memorandum of understanding with Britain's Primetals Technologies to jointly design an eco-friendly steelmaking pilot plant using its so-called HyREX technology.

HyREX technology, which the company also calls Hydrogen Reduction, is a steelmaking method to manufacture molten metal using iron ore fines and hydrogen. It uses hydrogen instead of fossil fuels, thus can dramatically reduce carbon emissions in the steelmaking process.

Under the agreement, the two companies will start designing a demo plant this month. Posco hopes to officially operate the plant in 2030, and shift all its existing plants to eco-friendly facilities by 2050.

Posco and Primetals previously worked together to develop Finex technology, which sees about 25 percent of the hydrogen generated during the use of coal reused in the reduction of iron ore. Posco is currently developing HyREX technology that uses 100 percent of hydrogen.

"In order to develop eco-friendly hydrogen reduction technology, it is important to cooperate with others beyond just steelmakers," said Kim Ki-soo, head of Posco's low-carbon process R&D center. "Combining the two companies' technologies, we will develop and create successful technology."

BY SARAH CHEA [[email protected]]