Yahoo Finance ArcelorMittal (MT)-Partners Begin Carbon Capture Trial in Ghent
ArcelorMittal S.A. MT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (“MHI”) have partnered with the climate tech company D-CRBN to trial an innovative technology that converts carbon dioxide (CO2) captured at ArcelorMittal’s Gent, Belgium plant into carbon monoxide. This carbon monoxide can be utilized in steel and chemical production. This marks the first industrial test of D-CRBN’s plasma technology, positioning ArcelorMittal Gent as the first steel plant globally to implement this process aimed at reducing CO2 emissions.
This new trial builds on the existing multi-year carbon capture pilot at the site, which is assessing the feasibility of scaling up MHI's carbon capture technology (Advanced KM CDR Process).
D-CRBN, based in Antwerp, developed a plasma-based technology that transforms CO2 into carbon monoxide using renewable electricity. The plasma breaks the carbon-oxygen bond, converting CO2 into carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide can act as a reductant in the steelmaking process, replacing some of the coke or metallurgical coal used in the blast furnace. It can also serve as a fundamental ingredient in Gent’s Steelanol plant for chemicals or alternative fuel production.
The D-CRBN process requires high-purity CO2, which is supplied by MHI’s carbon capture unit. This unit currently captures off-gases from the blast furnace and the hot strip mill reheating furnace in Gent. A pipeline connecting MHI’s carbon capture unit to D-CRBN’s unit was established on Jul 1 to test the feasibility of using the captured CO2 as a feedstock for D-CRBN. This industrial pilot is crucial for testing D-CRBN’s technology, ensuring that impurities in the CO2 from steelmaking do not adversely affect the process and product gas.
ArcelorMittal is exploring various decarbonization strategies to achieve its climate goals, which include a 35% reduction in CO2 emissions from ArcelorMittal Europe by 2030. One such strategy is Smart Carbon steelmaking, which incorporates circular carbon in the blast furnace, carbon capture and storage (CCS) or utilization (CCU).
ArcelorMittal expressed pride in being part of the unique carbon capture and usage trial in Gent, emphasizing its alignment with their Smart Carbon steelmaking strategy in ArcelorMittal Belgium. Its engineers have worked diligently with partners to reach this stage. The company is optimistic about the collaboration with D-CRBN on the new CCU technology developed in Belgium.
D-CRBN is equally enthusiastic about the partnership with ArcelorMittal and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on this innovative CCU pilot project. It acknowledges the challenges of electrifying steel production but highlights that its process, which recycles CO2 emissions into CO, offers a cost-effective and scalable solution. Its technology can decarbonize existing blast furnaces and significantly reduce coal use. By converting CO2 back into CO for steel production, the need for green hydrogen in the future will be reduced, lowering the costs of emission-free products. Some of the produced CO can be supplied to nearby chemical companies as feedstock.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries added that CCUS will play a critical role in decarbonizing existing assets in the steel industry. Its collaboration with ArcelorMittal and D-CRBN in Belgium provides another tool for the industry to reduce its carbon footprint by capturing emissions, converting them into valuable feedstock and reintegrating them into the process. This initiative underscores its commitment to sustainable practices and innovative solutions for a greener future.
In May 2024, ArcelorMittal, MHI, BHP and Mitsubishi Development Pty Ltd (Mitsubishi Development) announced the successful operation of a pilot carbon capture unit on the blast furnace off-gas at ArcelorMittal Gent in Belgium. This followed their October 2022 announcement of a multi-year trial of MHI’s carbon capture technology (Advanced KM CDR Process) at multiple CO2 emission points, beginning at the Gent steelmaking site.
ArcelorMittal’s shares have declined 12.6% in the past year compared with the industry’s 5.7% fall.
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ArcelorMittal currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
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