Tata Steel recently announced plans to pursue a fully sustainable future for its steelworks in IJmuiden, the Netherlands, by adopting a hydrogen route. The company has already stated its ambition in IJmuiden to reduce CO₂ emissions by 5 MMtpy tonnes by 2030 and has been exploring various technological options to achieve this, including the capture and storage of CO₂ or a hydrogen route.

External experts assessed that both options are technically feasible according to a joint study by Tata Steel and FNV, the Dutch trade union.

Tata Steel will pursue the hydrogen route in IJmuiden and undertake a detailed assessment in this regard. This involves the introduction of direct reduced iron (DRI) technology which can make iron using natural gas or hydrogen, before it is converted to steel in one or more electric furnaces to be invested in the future.

"We are very conscious of the steel industry’s responsibility to help meet the global climate targets. By choosing hydrogen as the technology to produce steel in the Netherlands, we want to take an important strategic step in making our steel production more sustainable," said T.V. Narendran, CEO and MD of Tata Steel, and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Tata Steel Netherlands. "We fully support the steps to be taken by the management in IJmuiden. The decarbonisation pathway in IJmuiden will also help us chart the future transition roadmap of Tata Steel’s other integrated steel-making sites."