According to local media reports, South Korean steelmaker POSCO will start construction of its pilot plant for carbon-neutral steelmaking at Pohang steel complex in June this year.
The plant in question will have a capacity of 300,000 mt per year and use hydrogen instead of fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. Construction of the plant is expected to be completed in 2026.
Accordingly, the plant will be the first to use HyREX, which is a next-generation technology that produces iron from iron oxide using hydrogen as a reduction agent. POSCO aims to reduce carbon emissions by 90 percent.
Meanwhile, POSCO will also begin construction of similar plants at its Gwangyang steel complex in 2032.
As SteelOrbis reported earlier, POSCO and UK-based Primetals Technologies had agreed to jointly design a hydrogen-reduced steelmaking pilot plant using HyREX.
SSAB, ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel are among the companies that are aiming to switch to hydrogen-based technologies.