Sweden – The HYBRIT initiative shows, after six years of research, that direct reduced iron produced with the HYBRIT process has superior characteristics compared to iron produced with fossil fuels. HYBRIT has applied for and received several patents based on the successful results, and the project is now continuing in the next phase where the process is to be implemented on an industrial scale.
The HYBRIT initiative is a collaboration between the steel company SSAB, the mining company LKAB and the energy company Vattenfall that was launched to fundamentally change the iron and steel industry. The project is the first in the world to demonstrate that the fossil-free value chain – from iron ore to steel – works on a semi-industrial scale.
So far, more than 5,000 tonnes of hydrogen-reduced iron have been produced at HYBRIT’s pilot plant in Luleå. Customers such as Volvo Group, Epiroc, Peab and many more are already using the fossil-free steel in vehicles, heavy machinery, buildings and consumer products, and interest in the technology is high.
The results from the pilot phase pave the way for implementing the HYBRIT process on an industrial scale. Hybrit Development AB will continue to conduct research and development to support the industrialisation of the technology together with the owner companies, including delivering solutions to LKAB’s planned demonstration plant in Gällivare. The pilot project for storing fossil-free hydrogen in Svartöberget in Luleå will continue until 2026.
