Italy-based engineering consultancy, R&D, inspection, and certification company RINA has unveiled its “Hydra” project consisting of the construction of a 100 percent hydrogen-based steel production pilot plant.
According to its statement, the plant in question, which will be funded by the European Commission and the Italian government, will have a production capacity of up to seven metric tons of different grades of steel per hour. The project will contribute to near-zero carbon technologies and to the international steel industry.
Hydra will utilize hydrogen in every phase of steel production. It will include a 30-meter-high direct reduction iron (DRI) tower using hydrogen as a reducing agent, an electric arc furnace, and a reheating furnace.
RINA will also build a training facility to gather and pass on the know-how about the design, implementation and deployment of hydrogen-based decarbonization projects. The facility in question will be open to all stakeholders in the steel and energy sectors.
The Hydra project is scheduled to be completed by 2025.