Direct Reduction (DR) of iron ore is a widely recognized commercial route to reduce CO₂ emissions in integrated steelmaking. However, it relies heavily on natural gas — a resource that is limited in many regions.

Hydrogen-enriched DR, which increases the share of hydrogen as a reducing agent in the process, offers significant potential to further cut CO₂ emissions and decrease dependence on natural gas markets. Yet, scaling up hydrogen-enriched DR poses substantial techno-economic challenges that require complementary measures to ensure a sustainable transition.

In this steelTalk, Prof. Valentina Colla, Associate Professor of Metallurgy at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Italy), will present an overview of hydrogen-enriched DR and its associated challenges, while outlining additional technologies that can support decarbonisation efforts in steel production.