Tenova to provide the first hydrogen experimental DRI plant in Japan

Tenova, part of the Technint Group and a leading developer and provider of sustainable solutions for the green transition of the metals industry, was recently awarded a contract for an Experimental Direct Reduction plant (EDRP) operated by Nippon Steel Corporation, and entrusted by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Nippon Steel Corporation is Japan’s largest steelmaker and one of the world’s most prominent steel producers. The plant will be installed in the Hasaki R&D Centre of Nippon Steel Corporation.

In line with the aims and objectives of NEDO's Green Innovation Fund, the facility will be used to demonstrate and test the development of direct hydrogen reduction technology for reducing low-grade iron ore with hydrogen alone and the development of technology for direct hydrogen reduction.

“With this contract, it has been confirmed once again that ENERGIRON® is the best available cutting-edge technology for DRI plants,” said Stefano Maggiolino, Tenova HYL President & CEO. “We are delighted to contribute to this project and supply the very first experimental direct reduction plant fed by hydrogen in Japan”.

The project is being undertaken by a consortium formed by Nippon Steel Corporation, JFE Steel Corporation, and the Japan Research and Development Centre for Metals.

The DR plant, based on the ENERGIRON® Direct Reduction (DR) technology, jointly developed by Tenova and Danieli, will use hydrogen as reducing gas, although, it will retain the flexibility to use different gases in any combination or proportion. To this end, the plant will be equipped with Tenova’s signature CO₂ capture equipment that will curb overall CO₂ emissions when the plant operates with mixes of gases containing carbon.