August 29, 2008

Japanese steelmakers to develop hydrogen powered BF - Report

Nikkei reported that Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to launch a project with Nippon Steel Corp, JFE Steel Corp and others to develop a new type of blast furnace that emits about 30% less carbon dioxide than existing furnaces. The report said that the new furnace will run on hydrogen, instead of coke, thereby achieving the significant emission cut.

As per report, the ministry plans to spend a total of JPY 25 billion starting in the year to March 2009 to commercialize the technology in 10 years.

In addition to developing a new method of using hydrogen to operate blast furnaces, the project aims to develop ways to utilize waste heat from the furnaces and technology to isolate carbon dioxide from blast furnace emissions, it said.

The steel industry is the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide in Japan's industrial and energy sector, accounting for 41.2% of the sector's overall discharge or 13% of national emissions.