Theme II Production

Many steel companies are exploring new technologies to achieve decarbonization, circularity, and waste- and emission-free production, recognizing that no single solution can address all challenges. Within this context, the overarching objectives of Theme II are to maintain the current product portfolio, achieve a 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions, and increase the circularity of steel production by 20–30%. This helps conserve raw materials and make the process more sustainable. In this way, the company aims to become a future-proof and sustainable steel producer that creates value for all stakeholders and contributes to the future of the Dutch steel industry. These goals align with Tata Steel Netherlands’ broader strategy to rapidly become carbon-free by 2030.

Research Projects

Partners

Research objectives

We focus on developing technologies that will lead to the replacement of blast furnaces and coke plants with DRI (direct reduced iron) plants and furnaces based on electric smelting technologies (EAF/REF).
We also do research into the reuse of old steel, which does have an impact on the production process.

Focus

What are the properties of pellets when using the new REF/EAF technologies? What are the process considerations? What happens when using DRI pellets of different qualities?

Can we develop scientific REF/EAF process models to gain insight into the behaviour of pellets under different circumstances?

We will develop various test installations to gain insight into the process properties. This will also be useful during the design process.

Ultimately, CO₂ emissions wil be reduced by 30%.
Furthermore, the goal is to increase circularity by using 20–30% scrap in steel production.