The Indian government has launched three pilot projects to investigate the use of hydrogen in steel production, backed by Rs 347 crore in funding. These initiatives, part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, aim to promote low-carbon manufacturing processes in the steel industry. With participation from both public and private sectors, the projects focus on innovative methods to integrate hydrogen into steel production, paving the way for a more sustainable future.

The Indian government has sanctioned three pilot projects to explore the use of hydrogen in steel production, allocating Rs 347 crore in financial support. These initiatives are part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission and aim to promote low-carbon steel manufacturing. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced that the projects will be commissioned over the next three years.

The selected projects include a 50-tonne-per-day (TPD) pilot plant led by Matrix Gas and Renewables Ltd, which comprises Gensol Engineering Ltd, the Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, and Sweden’s Metsol AB. Another consortium, Simplex Castings, will manage a 40 TPD pilot project, involving members like BSBK Pvt Ltd and IIT Bhilai. Additionally, the Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) will conduct a substantial pilot project with a capacity of 3,200 TPD in Ranchi.

Proposals invited by the MNRE focused on three components: producing directly reduced iron (DRI) using 100% hydrogen via a vertical shaft, employing hydrogen in blast furnaces to reduce coal and coke consumption, and injecting hydrogen in vertical shaft DRI units. These pilot projects are expected to demonstrate the safe and effective use of green hydrogen in steel production, validate technical feasibility and performance, and assess economic viability. Ultimately, the initiative aims to pave the way for low-carbon iron and steel production, contributing to a more sustainable future for the industry.