Swedish steel production is taking a significant step towards sustainability with the date now set for the inauguration of the world’s first plant to produce fossil-free hydrogen for heating steel before rolling.
Ovako, the leading European manufacturer of steel and one of the largest steel recyclers in the Nordic countries, will inaugurate the hydrogen plant at its Hofors mill. It will also be Sweden’s largest electrolysis facility.
The electrolyzer plant is currently being installed at Ovako’s facility in Hofors, and the work is expected to be completed in early autumn 2023. The 20-megawatt (MW) plant will generate 3,880 cubic meters of fossil-free hydrogen per hour. In addition to heating steel, the fossil-free hydrogen can be used to fuel trucks powered by fuel cells. Furthermore, the excess heat generated can be used for district heating in nearby communities.
Through strategic collaborations with partners like the Volvo Group, Hitachi Energy, H2 Green Steel, and Nel Hydrogen, Ovako is committed to ensuring that the impact of this facility will make a difference from day one. The initiative is supported by the Swedish Energy Agency, where the common goal is to establish cross-industry use of fossil-free hydrogen, increase knowledge about the possibilities of the fuel, and achieve cost-effective production.
The plan is to use local hydrogen production in all of Ovako’s rolling mills by 2030, provided there is a good supply of fossil-free electricity.
The development of the fossil-free hydrogen plant is carried out with support from the Swedish Energy Agency and the European Union.
Ovako develops clean, high quality engineering steel for customers in the bearing, transport, and manufacturing industries.
