The government of Spain’s Asturias region has granted environmental approval for ArcelorMittal Spain’s new DRI plant project at its Gijón mill in Spain. According to the official gazette of the Asturias government, BOPA, ArcelorMittal applied for an environmental impact study related to the DRI plant on December 20, 2022.
The new 2.3 million mt capacity green hydrogen DRI unit is described by ArcelorMittal as the heart of its plan to reach carbon-neutrality in Spain. The DRI unit will capture coke oven waste gas, which has a high hydrogen content and re-inject it into the blast furnace, hence reducing reliance on coal. The new DRI which is expected to start production before the end of 2025 will also feed the company’s Sestao plant, approximately 250 kilometers away from Gijón. With an investment of €1 billion in the Gijón mill, ArcelorMittal plans to eliminate 4.8 million mt of carbon emissions within the next five years.
