ArcelorMittal Belgium has announced that it has entered into cooperation with engineering company Luminus Solutions, wastewater treatment company Aquafin, and renewable-energy investor FINEG to develop new sustainable steam-powered energy infrastructure at its Ghent plant.
Under the project, Aquafin is constructing a large-scale facility to process sewage sludge from approximately 4 million residents in the region. The process produces high-pressure steam that will be used in a newly built 1.3 MW steam turbine operated by Luminus Solutions.
Turning waste steam into industrial heat and green power
The turbine will convert the high-pressure steam into low-pressure steam for steel production and into green electricity which will be delivered back to Aquafin. ArcelorMittal will integrate the low-pressure steam into its steelmaking operations, cutting energy use and reducing carbon emissions.
The project is valued at more than €12 million and is fully financed by FINEG through its subsidiary FINARMIT. Under the project milestones, Aquafin will begin supplying high-pressure steam in August 2026 and the steam turbine system must be fully operational by the end of 2026. From 2027, Aquafin will supply low-pressure steam to ArcelorMittal Belgium.
ArcelorMittal Belgium emphasized that using steam in steel production helps replace fossil fuels and strengthens its broader strategy for reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.