LanzaTech and ArcelorMittal achieve production milestone

Ethanol volumes, it is claimed, have ramped to a significant enough level to support large-scale shipping by barge. LanzaTech took title to the first barge shipment earlier this month, and the ethanol is en route to be purified and sold to LanzaTech’s CarbonSmart customers such as Coty.

According to a press announcement issued by Lanzatech, this achievement progresses LanzaTech and ArcelorMittal’s joint strategy to develop a thriving European supply chain for sustainable ethanol produced in the region.

ArcelorMittal’s Steelanol facility is converting carbon-rich industrial emissions from its blast furnace into fuel-grade ethanol by using leading carbon recycling technology developed by LanzaTech. Ethanol production commenced in 2023, and the facility is a first-of-its-kind for the European steel industry. Produced ethanol can be sold directly into fuel markets or further purified or converted for use in a wide array of consumer products such as apparel, personal care, and packaging, LanzaTech claims.

“This production milestone represents an important step toward treating industrial emissions as raw materials — rather than waste — to profitably support European supply chains in the creation of everyday products,” said Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, Chair and CEO of LanzaTech. “Our mission at LanzaTech is to capture carbon for utilization over and over so that we do not need to continue extracting significant volumes of fossil carbon from the ground. Together with ArcelorMittal, we look forward to building upon this achievement and expanding our operations together as we continue to advance an enduring global circular economy.”

Manfred Van Vlierberghe, CEO of ArcelorMittal Belgium, commented: "We are excited to have reached another significant milestone in our decarbonisation journey: the first shipment of ethanol by barge,” he said.

According to Vlierberghe, “This achievement marks the next crucial step after the successful first industrial and commercial production of ethanol, made possible by the dedication of our team and our strong partnership with LanzaTech. With initiatives such as Steelanol, which converts carbon-rich gases into ethanol, and Torero, which produces biocoal from waste wood, we are already making substantial progress in reducing CO₂ emissions. Addressing climate challenges, however, requires a holistic approach, where sustainability initiatives such as energy efficiency, CCUS and electrification play key roles alongside Steelanol. Together, we are committed to a clear roadmap for achieving climate neutrality by 2050."

ArcelorMittal’s Steelanol plant has the capacity to produce 80 million litres annually of advanced ethanol, around half of the total current demand in Belgium. It expects to reduce carbon emissions from the facility in Ghent by 125kr/year, thereby advancing the EU’s 2030 Climate Target Plan to reduce GHG emissions by 55% by the end of the decade. Project partners include Primetals Technologies and E4tech (which has since been acquired by ERM), with support from CINEA, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.