Indian steel-making company Tata Steel Limited and German plant-making firm SMS Group have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster collaboration in decarbonizing steel production.

The cornerstone of the MoU is the joint industrial demonstration of the EASyMelt technology, a brainchild of SMS Group, aimed at reducing CO2 emissions by over 50% from baseline blast furnace operations.

The demonstration will unfold at the ‘E’ Blast Furnace at Tata Steel’s Jamshedpur plant, marking another step towards the company’s decarbonization commitment. The EASyMelt technology, an innovative iron-making solution, is a potential game-changer for integrated steel plants, facilitating a faster transition to decarbonization.

At the heart of the technology lies a process of blast furnace top gas recycling for syngas production via coke oven gas reforming. The resulting syngas is then injected at both the shaft and tuyere levels, with the gas at the tuyere level further heated using a plasma torch system.

Burkhard Dahmen — SMS Group CEO said: “We are very proud to team up with a major steel producer like Tata Steel, and look forward to our future interactions as well as the possibility of achieving a first joint reference for our EASyMelt technology.

“This will represent a significant milestone for the decarbonization of existing blast furnace plants worldwide and thus also a significant milestone in the global transformation of steel making.”

The recent MoU builds upon the companies’ established collaboration, as Tata Steel and SMS Group signed a similar agreement in November 2022 to enhance cooperation on green steel and decarbonization projects.

Tata Steel’s dedication to decarbonization is evident, as the company aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045.

As part of this commitment, the company executed successful trials for record-high hydrogen gas injection in its Blast Furnace-E at the Jamshedpur plant earlier this year.

Besides this, the company has implemented numerous measures to promote industrial decarbonization in India. These include conducting a trial of continuous Coal Bed Methane (CBM) injection in early 2022 and operating a five tonnes per day (TPD) industrial plant for carbon capture and utilization from blast furnace off-gas since September 2021. The company is also aiming to reduce freshwater consumption, foster sustainable supply chains, and adopt a circular economy model as part of these efforts.

Tata Steel’s concerted efforts in sustainability have earned it the ‘ResponsibleSteel Certification’ for its Jamshedpur plant, a first for an Indian steel manufacturer. This accolade has positioned India on the global map for decarbonization and sustainability.

TV Narendran — Tata Steel CEO and MD said: “Tata Steel is actively looking for solutions to facilitate the transition to green steel production, and thus contribute to a sustainable future. Further, India being the second largest steel producer in the world also places a huge responsibility on large manufacturers like Tata Steel to lead the country’s decarbonization journey.

“We are delighted to reaffirm our partnership with the SMS group and intend to take this association ahead with a deeper collaboration to access better technologies and processes to reduce our carbon footprint in a meaningful and consistent way.”

  Burkhard Dahmen, decarbonization, India, Jamshedpur, SMS group, steel, Tata Steel, TV Narendran