Climate-neutral steel production and hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles
A fossil-free hydrogen facility is under construction in Sweden with the goal of reducing CO2 emissions, developing local industrial hydrogen production, and taking a step towards a future hydrogen infrastructure for the transport sector.
Ovako is starting a collaboration with the Volvo Group, Hitachi ABB Power Grids Sweden, H2 Green Steel and Nel Hydrogen to invest in hydrogen production in Hofors, Sweden.
The technical solution will enable large-scale and cost-effective production of hydrogen for applications like fossil-free freight using fuel-cell trucks. With installations at multiple locations, this could enable a network with locally produced fossil-free hydrogen available for the transport sector.
Ovako is initiating cooperation with several key players in Swedish and Norwegian industry. The initiative is also supported by the Swedish Energy Agency, with the shared goal of establishing industry-wide use of fossil-free hydrogen, expanding awareness of the potential of this fuel, and achieving cost-effective production. A filling station for hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles is intended to be built beside the hydrogen plant.
'It is important that we cooperate across industrial boundaries and invest in solutions that provide substantial and rapid climate benefits. Since 2015, Ovako has reduced its CO2 emissions by 54%, and we will now be the first steel company to show that it is possible to eliminate CO2 for heating steel before rolling, and get even closer to climate-neutral production,' says Marcus Hedblom, President and CEO at Ovako.
'Where direct electrification is not possible, green hydrogen is one of the complementary energy carriers which can support the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future. This exciting collaboration will test new value chains, and we look forward to acquiring knowledge about how an electrolysis plant can interact with the existing electricity network and become an important resource for its stability,' says Jenny Larsson, Managing Director, Hitachi ABB Power Grids Sweden.
