Aug. 04, 2023

Nippon Steel Corporation

Nippon Steel Corporation (hereinafter “Nippon Steel”) has been conducting development test of Super COURSE50, a technique to reduce CO2 emissions using heated hydrogen, in the test furnace (12 m3) for blast furnace hydrogen injection technology at the East Nippon Works Kimitsu Area since May 2022. The hydrogen injection demonstration using heated hydrogen is an extremely advanced initiative, and in tests conducted to date, the world’s highest level of CO2 emissions reduction effect of 22% from the blast furnace has been verified. Furthermore, Nippon Steel conduct a test by the end of 2023, aiming for a reduction of 30% or more. For further CO2 emissions reduction and development of various technologies, Nippon Steel will proceed with demonstration tests and work on promptly establishing the Super COURSE50 technology (to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% or more) for large-scale blast furnaces.

In the “Nippon Steel Carbon Neutral Vision 2050” announced in March 2021, Nippon Steel aims to achieve carbon neutrality using the following three ultra-breakthrough technologies: (1) reduction with hydrogen in blast furnaces, (2) high-grade steel production in large-sized EAFs, and (3) hydrogen use in direct iron reduction process.

The demonstration was selected as one of the Green Innovation Fund projects under NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) in January 2022. A consortium has been formed to conduct related development projects by the following four organizations: Nippon Steel Corporation, JFE Steel Corporation, Kobe Steel, Ltd., and The Japan Research and Development Center for Metals.

Nippon Steel always pursues the world's best technology and manufacturing capabilities and will continue to contribute to the development of societal advancement through activities in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations ("Affordable and Clean Energy" and "Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure").

 Figure: Process to the goal of blast furnace with hydrogen

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