nextgenerationsteel

The lights are set to green for the future of steel in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and Europe: thanks to funding from the federal and state governments for thyssenkrupp Steel's tkH2Steel® project at the Duisburg site, a pioneering transformation is becoming reality: the production of premium steel with green electricity and hydrogen in the direct reduction plant – and no longer in the coal-fired blast furnace. This is a major breakthrough for climate change mitigation, for our company and the workforce, as well as for the entire region and the supporters of the project in federal and state politics.
With the first direct reduction plant alone, we can save up to 3.5 million metric tons of CO2 in pure hydrogen operation. This corresponds to just under 5% of emissions in the Ruhr region, or around 2% of emissions in North Rhine-Westphalia. When the plant is scheduled to go into operation in 2027, green hydrogen will not yet be available in sufficient quantities. It is therefore all the more important that the direct reduction plant can also be commissioned with natural gas, enabling the use of blue hydrogen as a bridging technology. At the same time, thyssenkrupp Steel is also investing in the decarbonization of further production stages, i.e. in the decarbonizing of the steel mills and downstream operations. In other words: the bridge to a carbon-neutral future is in place.
The new direct reduction plant is an outstanding investment in two senses: as a milestone for the decarbonization of steel which, when it is completed will represent a landmark and an emblem for the decarbonization of the industrial center of Europe, as well as for the future of the Rhine-Ruhr region which should serve as a model for the hydrogen economy.

In spring 2023, thyssenkrupp Steel had already awarded the engineering, supply and construction contracts to the plant builder SMS group from North Rhine-Westphalia. The construction of the plants and equipment alone will create more than 400 new jobs. We report on the progress of construction work on an ongoing basis, and seek active dialog with local residents.
tkH2Steel®: the heart of steel is turning green. Green electricity and green hydrogen will be the indispensable energy carriers and thus the lifeblood of a decarbonized industry. The demand from the steel industry is so high that the installed capacity of wind power, solar energy and electrolysis seems modest in comparison. Just to operate thyssenkrupp Steel's first direct reduction plant exclusively with green hydrogen would require green electricity from 800 wind turbines. Added to this comes the power requirement of the two melters. The only way to achieve completely carbon-neutral steel production is therefore to ensure a comprehensive supply of green electricity and green hydrogen.
thyssenkrupp Steel is playing a key role in the Europe-wide hydrogen supply. As the engine of the hydrogen economy, Europe's largest integrated iron and steel plant will help drive the rapid and ambitious hydrogen ramp-up in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and in neighboring European countries as well.

As Germany's largest consumer of hydrogen in this decade, we are a key driver for the development of the corresponding hydrogen infrastructure. The hydrogen value chain is expected to create a six-figure number of additional jobs in the future.