Spanish stainless steel producer Acerinox has announced a partnership with energy company IGNIS to implement two decarbonization projects at its Campo de Gibraltar plant in Cádiz, Spain, aimed at reducing emissions from steam production and improving energy efficiency.
According to Acerinox, the projects are scheduled to become operational in December 2028 and will involve the installation of an industrial heat pump and an advanced thermal energy storage system. Together, the installations are expected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 18,500 mt annually, representing a 10 percent reduction.
Industrial heat pump to recover waste heat from hot rolling operations
The industrial heat pump, with a thermal capacity of 12 MW, will recover waste heat from combustion gases generated by the plant's hot rolling mill furnace. The recovered heat will be used to meet thermal energy requirements in the production process, supporting the company's efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions from steam production.
Meanwhile, the thermal energy storage (TES) system will have a capacity of 120 MWh. The system will generate and store heat using electrical resistance heaters during periods of lower electricity prices, supplementing the heat recovered by the industrial heat pump. The thermal storage system will also serve as a backup steam source during scheduled heat pump shutdowns.
Under the partnership, IGNIS will cover the initial investment of nearly €40 million required to implement the two projects. The projects have also secured €19.3 million in grants through Spain's Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), under the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. The funding is co-financed by the European Union's European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Acerinox CEO Bernardo Velázquez stated that the investments form part of the company's efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions at its Campo de Gibraltar operations. He noted that the projects are included in Acerinox Europa's long-term industrial improvement plans.
