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Carbon neutral steelmaking

The challenge is leading to some of the most exciting transformations this industry has ever seen.

In Europe, Tata Steel, already one of the world’s most efficient steel producers, has a roadmap with clear steps to achieve carbon neutral steelmaking by 2050. The race is on to fundamentally change some of our processes. It requires a clear vision, new technologies and infrastructure, a range of partners, and political support. At Tata Steel, we’re already pushing ahead with several options.   

A roadmap with clear steps 

We have a roadmap with clear steps to achieve CO2 neutral steelmaking by 2050. We believe green hydrogen is essential for the future of sustainable steel. 

To achieve carbon neutral steelmaking by 2050, we use a two-pathway approach:  

  • Reduce CO2 emissions with Carbon Capture, Storage & Utilisation (CCSU) 
  • Project Everest 
  • Project Athos 
  • Direct Avoidance of CO2 emissions 
  • Green hydrogen - (See Project H2ermes)
  • HIsarna 
Tata Steel IJmuiden blast furnace with nature landscape
North sea gas and oil platform
Reducing CO2 emissions

We aim to reduce CO2 emissions with carbon capture, storage and utilisation (CCSU)

In the Netherlands, we’re installing equipment to capture the carbon from our blast furnace gas (Everest).

We are also putting a network in place to transport and store it in empty gas fields under the North Sea. By 2030, this will reduce the IJmuiden plant’s CO2 emissions by three million tonnes.

A similar project is being explored in the UK.  

We then plan to cut a further million tonnes of CO2 through removing and converting more of our waste gases into useful products such as hydrogen, methanol, or naphtha. So by 2030, we will have reduced our emissions by up to 30% (Athos). 

 

Project H2ermes

Direct avoidance of CO2 emissions

We are also working to introduce hydrogen as a fuel source.

When burned, hydrogen emits only water. Producing hydrogen in large enough quantities is a challenge. It needs a lot of energy, and it makes sense this is as renewable as possible.

By 2050, we will not only be able to produce our own hydrogen at large scale, Tata Steel will be a key hub in distributing hydrogen-based energy throughout the Netherlands grid.

In the UK we are part of an industry network, the South Wales Industrial Cluster, which is developing plans for shared infrastructure and a similar hydrogen economy. 

Find out more
Wind power turbines
Tata Steel HIsarna Pilotplant cast house
HIsarna

A radical innovation.

There is meanwhile another card to play. 

  • HIsarna, a radical new technology for making steel, has been in development since 2011.
  • By 2035, our ambition is to have trialled it at full scale and to be ready for it to replace some of our blast furnaces. 
  • HIsarna is capable of cutting up to 80% of carbon emissions when used in combination with carbon capture. It can also use a greater proportion of scrap and enable zinc – often found in scrap - to be recovered for reuse.  

The jump to becoming fully carbon neutral is a question of scale as we combine these breakthrough technologies and no longer need carbon storage.  

Downloads

Find out more about our commitment to sustainability through our reference documents and downloads

Building a sustainable steel industry
Shaping a sustainable society for generations to come
Sustainability home page
HIsarna at night