Tenova is one of the partners of the HyTecHeat project, along with De Nora, Snam, and other European steel producers and RTOs. The Hybrid Technologies for sustainable steel reheating (HyTecHeat) project is an initiative of the Horizon Europe program, funded by the European Union (EU) with a budget of about €3.3 MM. Its aim is to validate hybrid heating technologies based on natural gas with a progressive increase of H₂ up to 100% in downstream processing. Three Demo cases testing innovative multifuel burners will facilitate the H₂ transition of the steel sector paving the way for the abatement of Scope 1 CO₂ emissions. Achieved results will bring a CO₂ saving in the range of 7.5 MMtpy−25 MMtpy at the EU level.

One of the Demo cases Tenova is participating in is focused on the system integration between H₂-ready burner, electrolyzer and storage systems. Within this scope, the company will install an electrolyzer at its headquarters in Castellanza (Italy) and test its industrial burner to evaluate the advantages and possible risks to be mitigated, operating in an industrial-scale plant and using up to 100% H₂. Snam will provide the H₂ storage system and De Nora the Dragonfly system, a latest generation electrolyzer used for the first time in a project of European importance.

The comprehensive testing will encompass not only the burners but the entire production chain, spanning from green energy production to a photovoltaic system, H₂ generation and storage, setting the standard for the optimal integration of industrial furnaces with onsite electrolyzer, including process control and safety issues.

Roberto Pancaldi, Tenova CEO said, “It’s essential for Tenova to collaborate with its partners on a shared goal of decarbonization. This project encompasses our efforts to develop an industrial-scale system that integrates H₂ production from renewable sources, its storage, and usage in thermal combustion processes. This collaboration will bring advantages to all our customers who will join us in this journey while contributing to a cleaner and more efficient steel industry.”

“We are proud to announce our participation as a partner in this project,” said Paolo Dellachà, De Nora CEO, “which will represent the first use case of the new Dragonfly electrolyzer, a versatile, high-quality product that will make our role as facilitators of the energy transition even easier. The market launch of this solution is a tangible result of our significant investments in R&D, which is key to maintaining our position as a company at the forefront of the sectors we oversee.”