It is a matter of great pride for Danieli Group, as emphasized by CEO Giacomo Mareschi Danieli, “to be beside Salzgitter Flachstahl in this outstanding project that will be a lighthouse for the steel industry decarbonization”. As recently announced by the company, Salzgitter Flachstahl has made the strategic decision to adopt Energiron, a winning DR technology jointly developed by Tenova and Danieli Group, for its upcoming direct reduction plant. The new plant will be installed at Salzgitter’s historical facility in Lower Saxony, Germany, which specializes in the production of high-quality hot- and cold-rolled flat products.
This order for a hydrogen-ready plant marks a significant milestone in Salzgitter Flachstahl’s transition from traditional ironmaking to electric steelmaking, with the ultimate goal of achieving a 95% reduction in carbon emissions. With a capacity of 2.1 Mtpy, the advanced Energiron DR plant will produce high-quality direct reduced iron (DRI), which will be used in the production of top-notch hot-strip coils through a new electric steel meltshop.
The comprehensive order also encompasses the inclusion of the innovative Hytemp® system, which facilitates the pneumatic transport of hot DRI and enables its hot charging into the electric arc furnace (EAF) at temperatures of up to 600°C. Additionally, the plant will have the capability to produce cold DRI, further enhancing its operational flexibility.
As Danieli Group’s CEO Giacomo Mareschi Danieli emphasized, “the use of the Energiron technology, jointly developed by Danieli and Tenova, is a definitive step towards a Green Steel era, with the possibility to use different amounts of hydrogen, up to 100%, as an alternative reducing agent in order to lower more and more the carbon footprint, without changing the standard and mature plant configuration”. Danieli Group is “fully committed as a technological partner of Salzgitter to make this a great success”, he added.
Energiron technology, renowned for its hybrid design, offers the flexibility to use NG as a reducing agent, allowing for the incorporation of hydrogen up to 100% or any desired mixture. The controlled use of natural gas during the DR process is crucial for supplying the minimum required carbon during melting. One of its notable advantages is the ability to capture and use CO2, a feature that not only contributes to a further reduction in overall plant carbon emissions but also creates an additional revenue stream for the plant’s operations.
The startup of the new Energiron DRI plant is scheduled for July 2026, marking a significant milestone in achieving hard-to-abate industry decarbonization in Europe. As part of the project’s plan, a second Energiron DRP will be installed at the same Salzgitter site in a subsequent phase.
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