international journal of hydrogen energy xxx (xxxx) xxx

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

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Reducing CO2 emissions in the iron industry with

green hydrogen

Dulu Patnaik a, Ajit Kumar Pattanaik b, Dilip Kumar Bagal b,*, Arati Rath c
a
Department of Electrical Engineering, Government College of Engineering, Kalahandi, Bhawanipatna, Odisha, India
b
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Government College of Engineering, Kalahandi, Bhawanipatna, Odisha,
India
c
School of Computer Engineering, KIIT Deemed to be University, Odisha, India

highlights

Green Hydrogen can reduce CO2 emissions in steel and iron industries.

Different methods of producing Green Hydrogen are discussed.

Collecting and storing CO2 is crucial to reduce emissions.

Green Hydrogen is an alternative source of energy for various sectors.

Recycling waste heat energy can limit energy intake and carbon emissions.

article info abstract

Article history: The different methods of producing Green Hydrogen have been discussed in detail in this
Received 20 December 2022 article. The implications and significance of employing green hydrogen in the steel and
Received in revised form iron industries have been brought to light. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a significant environ-
28 February 2023 mental gas pollutant which is released in large quantities by steel mills and other industrial
Accepted 9 March 2023 facilities. It is hoped that the appropriate measures would be taken to minimize the
Available online xxx emission of hazardous gases, such as CO2, from each facility. The green hydrogen idea is a
new technology that is being used as an alternative energy source for the sectors listed
Keywords: above. The most important step in reducing CO2 emissions is to collect it and store it in a
CO2 emissions secure location. In this article, the main goal and scope is to analyse various methodologies
Green hydrogen to minimize CO2 emissions in Iron and Steel Industries as well as compare with noble
Renewable energy green hydrogen technology. Here, the state of art for the emission of CO2 as well as the
recommendations of Green Hydrogen Technology are emphasized which is the novelty of
this article.
© 2023 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

contribution of primary energy sources to the global energy

Introduction
The world's use of primary energy has increased significantly
throughout the course of history. In general, global energy
consumption grew as a result of the ever-changing
mix. In contrast, a study by International Energy Agency (IEA)
found as distribution of common resources does not match
the demand in all regions of the world (IEA, 2019). With the
development of international shipping, worldwide commer-
cial connections were established, with some nations

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: dilipbagal90@gmail.com (D.K. Bagal).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.03.099
0360-3199/© 2023 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Please cite this article as: Patnaik D et al., Reducing CO2 emissions in the iron industry with green hydrogen, International Journal of
Hydrogen Energy, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.03.099
2 international journal of hydrogen energy xxx (xxxx) xxx
becoming importers and others becoming exporters as a
result. With the participation of both the importing and
exporting countries in international energy commerce, the
marginal benefit for each of them rises [1].
The need for renewable energy sources will be a significant
problem in the twenty-first century. In order to produce green
energy, the researchers are using a number of approaches.
Hydrogen is regarded to be the best source of green, safe, and
sustainable energy among the many options available
because of its low cost and lack of environmental contami-
nation, among other factors. The availability of sunshine and
water resources, on the other hand, are tremendous advan-
tages for us in our efforts to produce hydrogen fuel [2].
In Fig. 1, the categorization of green hydrogen according to
carbon intensity and renewable inputs has been displayed.
Hydrogen is classified into three different types: grey
hydrogen, blue hydrogen, and green hydrogen, which are
shown in Fig. 1. First, there is grey hydrogen, which is made up
of both higher carbon H2 and renewable and non-renewable
H2. Following that is green hydrogen, which is made up of
both higher carbon H2 and renewable H2. Finally, blue
hydrogen is a combination of lower carbon H2 and non-
renewable H2. Here, three types of hydrogen are mentioned
in the four quadrant boxes. Grey hydrogen, on the other hand,
is divided into two quadrants, similar to renewable and non-
renewable H2. Coming up next is the main qualification be-
tween these three sorts of hydrogen: Grey hydrogen is man-
ufactured by burning fossil fuels, typically coal or natural gas,
and it exhausts CO2 into the climate. Blue hydrogen, like
conventional hydrogen, is derived from fossil fuels. However,
it is a terminal solution that absorbs only a part of the CO2
produced during the manufacturing process. Carbon capture,
use, and storage (CCUS) may either be utilised or stored as
CO2. The collector of CCUS is insulated to limit the amount of
heat lost to the surrounding environment.
These following assumptions are used to assist the heat
and mass balance in CCUS:
Fig. 1 e Categorization of hydrogen according to the carbon intensity and inputs [4].
Please cite this article as: Patnaik D et al., Reducing CO2 emissions in the iron industry with green hydrogen, International Journal of
Hydrogen Energy, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.03.099

The water flow is equally spread along the tubes.

The lateral heat losses are minimal.

The outside and interior convective exchange coefficients
are assumed to be constant together with the collector.

The radiative exchanges behind the collectors are not
included.

The energy transmission is in a quasi-steady state [39].
Last but not least, green hydrogen is generated using sus-
tainable resources such as renewable energy or biogas, among
other things. Green hydrogen is the sole kind of hydrogen
anticipated to be imported in this study, and it emits the least
of the three kinds of hydrogen studied [3].
Although green hydrogen could assist decarbonize sectors
of the transport industry, its ties to the energy sector are not
fully known at this time. If production is flexible and able in
schedule, this could assist to the incorporation of fluctuating
renewable sources of power. Massive hydrogen supply lines
have the potential to provide large advantages to the power
market, particularly through decreased renewable restriction.
Energy modellers and sector planners should concentrate
more attention to the special flexibility features of hydrogen
supply networks for analysing the significance of green
hydrogen in future power transformation situations [5].
Dagdougui et al. [6] developed a green hydrogen network
utilising mixed renewable energy sources, includes green
hydrogen refuelling stations (GHRSs) and various
manufacturing hubs, and found the most optimal architecture
for northern Italy.
Using actual wind velocity, Ayodele and Munda [7] studied
on the viability and effectiveness of green hydrogen fabrica-
tion through water electrolysis from wind energy sources in
five locations in South Africa nation. Researchers discovered
that since hydrogen is employed in a comparable way to fossil
fuels in the transportation, industrial, and power sectors,
hydrogen may be a feasible answer to present electricity
challenges, especially when created securely and effectively.
 international journal of hydrogen energy xxx (xxxx) xxx
Fig. 2 e Green energy iron and steel production idea. (1)
Production of green energy (hydrogen); (2) inclusion of
green energy into traditional techniques (blast furnace and
converter); and (3) integration of green energy into a
hydrogen furnace (direct steel-making) [9].
Special attention will need to be given to developing a set
of reasonable, unambiguous, and widely accepted assump-
tions regarding hydrogen use and possible alternative path-
ways. Economic analysis of the system identifies four
primary drivers of large-scale green hydrogen adoption: Lack
of affordable CO2 storage options (Carbon Capture and Stor-
age i.e., CCS or Utilization i.e., CCU) enables usage of low-cost
fossil fuels while achieving GHG reductions in industrial
processes); lack of renewable energy-generated electricity;
cost reductions in hydrogen technologies (particularly elec-
trolysis and fuel cells); and limited biomass introduction [8].
The steel industry's use of renewable energy i.e. hydrogen
is becoming increasingly important for reducing CO2 emis-
sions. In order to make usage of the green energy in produc-
tion of both iron and steel, research on the two main issues
shown in Fig. 2, which will be required [9]:
(a) Fabrication of green energy (i.e. hydrogen)
(i) Waste heat,
(ii) Nuclear energy,
(iii) Coke Oven Gas (COG) and
(iv) Bio-mass
(b) Usage of green energy
(i) Classical method (such as blast furnace and con-
verter processes) and
(ii) Upcoming iron and steel-making processes (in case
of hydrogen furnace).
It is critical to provide sufficient energy for manufacturing
and raw hydrogen-containing materials in order to produce
green hydrogen.
Armijo and Philibert examined the techno-economic
concept of the adaptable generation of green hydrogen and
ammonia using water and discovered out the ideal condition
for the utilization of these from coupled solar and wind en-
ergy for both the two nations, i.e., Chile and Argentina. They
discovered that combining wind and solar energy can
Please cite this article as: Patnaik D et al., Reducing CO2 emissions in the iron industry with green hydrogen, International Journal of
Hydrogen Energy, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.03.099
3
significantly reduce the cost of producing green hydrogen
[10].
Green hydrogen in industry
Pig iron is produced by reducing iron ore, or FE2O3, either
immediately with coke or using eq. (1) or indirectly with car-
bon monoxide using eq. (2), which would be produced by Eq.
(1) in an oxygen blast furnace when oxygen is present [11].
Fe2 O2 þ 1:5C / 2Fe þ 1:5CO2 (1)
Fe2 O2 þ 3CO / 2Fe þ 3CO2 (2)
The enthalpy (h) was calculated based on the non-
stoichiometry using Eq. (3).
h ¼ 478  1158*d þ 1790*d2 þ 23368*d3  64929*d4 (3)
The non-stoichiometry (d) at given operating conditions
(temperature, oxygen partial pressure) was calculated by
interpolating the previous experimental studies [38].
Ren and co. evaluated low carbon progress in iron and steel
industries and methods for reducing CO2 emissions for the
Chinese nation. The authors came to the conclusion that the
iron and steel industry (ISI) consumes much energy and ac-
counts for about 25% of direct Green House Gas (GHG) secre-
tions from industries worldwide. In addition, this can be
possible to minimize the CO2 emissions by approximately 43%
if breakthroughs in mainstream technology are implemented
in their entirety. In addition, a drop of between 80 and 95% is
possible when these technologies are combined with Ultra
Low Carbon Technology. The hydrogen-based technologies or
carbon capture, utilization, and storage techniques are
anticipated to result in significant cost savings of 12e35 billion
USD by 2050 for deep decarbonizing scenarios in the China's
ISI sectors. The architecture depicted in Fig. is utilised in the
majority of projects for steelmaking. 3 [12].
Kushnir and co. completed research on hydrogen direct
reduction for the technical innovation system (TIS) of the
Swedish steel industry. Because it aids in the analysis of the
system's preparation for a complete transformation to
hydrogen direct reduction, it was determined that the TIS
framework is appropriate for structuring discourse around
such a complete transition. Direct hydrogen reduction is likely
to replace coke-based blast furnaces in the Swedish steel in-
dustry. Policymakers ought to remember that albeit dimin-
ishing the iron decrease limit could cut Swedish CO2
emanations, it would presumably certainly help overall dis-
charges, since Swedish offices are by and by more compelling
than the worldwide and EU midpoints [13]. The Multi-Level
Perspective (MLP) and the Technological Innovation System
(TIS) were utilised by Karakaya and colleagues to investigate
long-term shifts in the Swedish iron and steel industry. They
went into great detail about the physics of a new future sce-
nario based on green hydrogen [14].
Emissions of greenhouse gases have increased as a result
of global climate change. Steel companies are a major
contributor to climate change because they make a significant
4 international journal of hydrogen energy xxx (xxxx) xxx
Fig. 3 e Diagram demonstrating the fundamental industrial base for green hydrogen-based steel manufacturing initiatives
[12].
contribution to annual CO2 emissions. Emission reduction
technologies are becoming increasingly important in the steel
industry in a number of nations, and a worldwide trend has
emerged in the creative transformation and reform of steel
companies. The global steel industry must promote the usage
of the smelted scrap steels rather than molten irons in order to
minimize greenhouse gas exhaustions. China must also make
unique efforts to preserve its steel market, in addition to uti-
lising the global iron industry's excellent experience. The
development of environmentally friendly, clever, and recy-
clable production methods has primarily contributed to the
sector's sustainable expansion [15].
The industrial sectors of iron and steel are accountable for
around 30% of the earth's industrial Carbon dioxide emission.
The direct reduction process (DR) may be the initial step to
decrease the CO2-emissions from basic steel manufacturing.
The gradual substitution of syngas made from Natural Gas
(NG) with green hydrogen as a minimizing agent is made
possible by this process's remarkable adaptability. The pro-
vided energy's carbon intensity has a significant impact on the
overall CO2 reduction. This suggests that the decarbonisation
of the energy sector is one of the foundations for the greening
of the ISI sectors [16].
In the past, the steel industry's CO2 reduction plans have
focused on studying carbon capture and storage and achieving
modest emissions reductions via energy efficiency actions.
Moreover, over the past half-decade, electricity- and
hydrogen-based steel-making has gained significant push as
(i) cost of renewable energy continues to fall, (ii) carbon cap-
ture and storage has not yet emerged, and (iii) more govern-
ments accept ambitious emission reduction goals. The coal-
Please cite this article as: Patnaik D et al., Reducing CO2 emissions in the iron industry with green hydrogen, International Journal of
Hydrogen Energy, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.03.099
fired steel industry does not seem to be in a situation to
attain net zero emissions by the year 2050 on a global scale.
Nuclear and/or renewable energy sources may be used to
decarbonize manufacturing operations. While atomic power
might assume a part in worldwide decarbonisation endeav-
ours, the circumstance stays vague from the stance of the
coal-terminated steel industrial sectors [17].
Bhaskar and other investigated the operation of decar-
bonisation in the ISI sectors by using green hydrogen to
directly reduce iron ore. They determined that reducing
emission requirements would not be possible even with
modest enhancements to the methods of primary steel pro-
duction currently in use. Green hydrogen formed through
water electrolysis, which is utilised as a reduction agent in
blast furnaces, has the potential to significantly minimize CO2
emissions from the production of iron and steel [18].
Holappa and co provided future findings based on the
decline in the ISI sector's energy consumption and CO2 emis-
sions. The author emphasized a number of points, including
the fact that hydrogen also plays a supportive role in iron
metallurgy despite its well-known potential as a fuel and a
reductant. In the current battle against global warming,
hydrogen has gained prominence as a reductant, fuel, and
energy storage. The manufacturing, storage, delivery, and ap-
plications of the hydrogen industry concept are all included. In
ironmaking, numerous attempts have been made to generate
hydrogen and reduce iron oxides. The shift away from fossil
fuels and toward electricity is another global trend. Hydrogen
production and “green" energy generation will be closely
linked. In addition, upgrading existing interconnected steel
plants with the most recent technologies is the most efficient
 international journal of hydrogen energy xxx (xxxx) xxx
way to develop energy efficiency and cut CO2 emissions.
Effortful heat recovery, coordinated energy flow management,
and CO2 capture and storage (CCS) from exhaust gases can all
reduce the ratio of carbon to hydrogen in fuels and reductants,
potentially reducing certain emissions by 40e50%. Carbon-
lean/carbon-free iron production is only viable if a significant
shift away from carbon-based metallurgy is made. By con-
necting hydrogen reduction and melting with low-carbon or
carbon-free energy, this could be accomplished. This makes it
easier to do major renovations to steel mills, switch from blast
furnaces to direct reduction furnaces, and make and store
hydrogen [19]. Stießel et al. created a technique for identifying
and analysing region-specific, technically, commercially, and
ecologically feasible concepts for the implementation of CO2
chemical valorization technologies in the chemical sector. They
recognised that in order to accomplish great performance in
terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction and economic effi-
ciency, cross-sectoral concepts must be implemented into the
existing infrastructure to the highest degree conceivable. For
the year 2030, economically and environmentally sustainable
ways for recycling steel mill emissions into consumable com-
modities, especially methanol, are being developed via the
integration of substantial amounts of renewable energy. Before
being used as feedstock in the chemical industry, process-
related carbon streams from integrated steel plants must be
enhanced with renewable energy resources to minimize CO2
emissions and the chemical industry's reliance on fossil fuels
[20]. Formalized the quote from Zhao et al. noticed that distinct
low-carbon ironmaking methods are being developed in some
nations, including green hydrogen-enriched drop in BF, top gas
recycling oxygen BF (TGR-OBF), and new burden of ironecarbon
agglomerates (ICA). The authors emphasized a variety of
viewpoints regarding low-carbon and environmentally friendly
iron-making methodologies. The utilization of steel accounts
for 5% of global energy consumption and 6% of global anthro-
pogenic CO2 emissions. CO2 outflows control has gotten pro-
gressively thorough in various nations. The primary step in the
production of steel is the ironmaking process in a blast furnace
(BF). In order to achieve the green evolution of the iron and steel
industry, it is effective to develop low-carbon iron-making
technology based on the BF. the creation of a new reactor.
Although the new reactors may add to the reduction of CO2
emissions and the production of low-carbon iron to some level,
their commercial use faces a number of obstacles [21].
Liu et al. investigated the various techniques for producing
and using green hydrogen in the steel industry worldwide. Due
to its numerous sources, high calorific value, high thermal
conductivity, and rapid reaction ratedall of that contribute to
hydrogen's enormous potential for use in ISI sectorsdthey
discovered that hydrogen is the most promising clean energy
source for the twenty-first century. As a result, numerous
hydrogen metallurgy schemes from various parts of the globe
are being established. Some of these projects have resulted in
significant breakthroughs, such as the COURSR 50 proposal
from Japan, the ULCOS proposal from Europe, and the SALCOS
initiative from Germany, all of which were tailored to the cir-
cumstances of China's ISI sectors [22]. The majority of initia-
tives use the Fig. 3 framework to produce green hydrogen [12].
Please cite this article as: Patnaik D et al., Reducing CO2 emissions in the iron industry with green hydrogen, International Journal of
Hydrogen Energy, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.03.099
5
Reduction of CO2 in steel industry
This is due primarily to two factors: First, steel is typically made
with energy derived from fossil fuels; Second, steelmaking
from iron ores requires reducing agents, and carbon from coal
is the cheapest and most readily available reductant. Birat
emphasized the iron and steel industry's efforts to reduce CO2
and capture and store carbon dioxide (CCS). Despite the fact
that the sector's CO2 emissions account for approximately 5% of
global anthropogenic emissions, the author estimated that
recycling and stringent energy conservation efforts have
resulted in a reduction of 55% over the course of the past 40
years. Given that energy conservation measures are now
limited by thermodynamics and also the development of
cutting-edge technologies is crucial. The intake of carbon-
bearing materials, CO2 emissions expressed in volume (kg/t of
hot-rolled coil), and flue gas concentration expressed in volume
percent are all depicted in the simplified flowchart in Fig. 4 of an
integrated steel mill. Fig. The simplified flow sheet for a steel
mill that makes use of top gas recycling blast furnace (TGReBF)
technology is depicted in Fig. 5. It depicts the volumetric
emissions of carbon dioxide (kg/t of hot-rolled coil), the pro-
portion of flue gas, and the input of carbon-bearing materials
(the darker shaded boxes) [23].
Otto and co. evaluated the German steel industry's use of
green hydrogen and renewable energy to cut CO2 emissions.
The researchers concluded that renewable energy could be
incorporated into the steel manufacturing process through
methods like blast furnace gas recirculation (BF-GR), carbon
capture furnaces, the steadily increasing use of electric arc
furnaces (EAFs), and direct lowered iron with hydrogen as a
reduction agent (H-DR). Significant reductions in CO2 emis-
sions and fuel consumption are achievable, despite the fact
that they would fall short of the German government's goal
of reducing power consumption by 50% by 2050. By incor-
porating renewable energy into the coal-fired steel industry,
it is also possible to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 95%
using alternative technology. A decrease in the evacuation
of coal or the related BF gas, which is typically copied for
power and intensity age to prevent release into the climate,
helps both the mix of environmentally friendly power and
CO2 reduction. If BF gas production is reduced or dis-
continued, there is an opportunity to use fossil fuels or
renewable energy with lower emissions for power genera-
tion and heating production. The last option would
empower the mix of sustainable power with the steel area,
named “Ability to-Steel” [24].
Tonomura and co conducted research on the Japanese
project COURSE50, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions at
integrated steel plants by approximately 30% by 2050. This
project is called “CO2 Final Reduction in Steelmaking Process
through Intelligent Systems for a Cool Earth 50.” Two types of
techniques are being studied: Chemical or physical adsorption
of CO2 into blast furnace gas or intensified hydrogen reduction
of iron ore using coke oven gas to reduce blast furnace emis-
sions are two methods of CO2 sequestration in integrated steel
plants [25].
6 international journal of hydrogen energy xxx (xxxx) xxx

Fig. 4 e The flow sheet of an integrated steel mill having CO2 emissions [23].

Fig. 5 e TGReBF technology's flow sheet for an integrated steel mill with CO2 emissions [23].

a clean environment, as are well-thought-out and executed

Green hydrogen as alternative source of energy
Hydrogen may be created by a range of sources of renewable
energy comprising water, photovoltaic solar (PV), trash, air,
modest sustained hydroelectric, geothermal, and sometimes
even wave energy. These “green” resources, combined with
existing ecologically friendly technologies, are rapidly being
employed to create electricity. After that, the electrolysis pro-
cess can be used to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. A
healthy atmosphere is made possible by a clean environment
and sustainable energy. Global climate change is a problem for
everyone. Our children are counting on us to act now. Take no
action and allow the research labs or future generations to
resolve the problems. Increased energy efficiency is critical for
transitional measures. To maintain sustainable development,
however, society requires the creation of renewable power and
the constant research and implementation of revolutionary
technology. It is vital to search and build new markets. Perhaps
most crucially, new infrastructures that combine energy, the
climate, freshwater, garbage, and transportation must be
created soon if a green hydrogen economy is to be maintained
[26]. One of the most promising options appears to be hydrogen
energy systems, which may contribute significantly to envi-
ronmental and sustainability gains. Fig. 6 shows how green
energy sources could be used to collect the four types of energy
needed to drive hydrogen synthesis. Renewable resources like
solar, wind, seismic, marine, tidal, oceanic thermal, hydro-
power, and bio-fuel, as well as nuclear energy and

Please cite this article as: Patnaik D et al., Reducing CO2 emissions in the iron industry with green hydrogen, International Journal of
Hydrogen Energy, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.03.099
 international journal of hydrogen energy xxx (xxxx) xxx 7

Fig. 6 e Methods for generating a fundamental form of energy from primary sources of green energy [27].

recoverable energy, can be used to generate electrical and
thermal energy. Solar radiation alone includes photonic en-
ergy. The metabolic energy inherent in organic matter (car-
bohydrates, glucose, and sugars, for instance) may be managed
by specialist microbes capable of extracting hydrogen from a
range of substrates or it may be chemically transformed to heat
energy. Solar radiation may or may not be employed to
enhance biological energy generation, depending on the con-
ditions (i.e. bio-photolysis or dark fermentation). Dincer [27]
explored numerous ways of hydrogen production, which are
given below:
1. Moisture electrolysis,
2. Plasma arc breakdown,
3. Water thermolysis,
4. Thermo-catalytic breakdown of hydrogen sulphide to
generate hydrogen and sulphur,
5. Biomass thermo-catalytic conversion routes,
6. Thermo - chemical water separation,
7. Biomass gasification and biofuels reformation,
8. Thermo - chemical cycles for hydrogen sulphide
splitting,
9. PV-electrolysis,
10. Photo-catalytic water breaking,
11. Photo-electrolysis and photo-electrochemical hydrogen
production,
12. Bio-photolysis and photo-fermentation,
13. Night fermentation and thermophilic and enzymatic
digestion for hydrogen production,
14. High heat electrolysis,

Please cite this article as: Patnaik D et al., Reducing CO2 emissions in the iron industry with green hydrogen, International Journal of
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8 international journal of hydrogen energy xxx (xxxx) xxx

15. Hybrid thermo - chemical methods for water electrol-

ysis and w Hydrogen
h ¼ (5)
16. Artificial photosynthesis for hydrogen generation. s Feed þ Fuel  Enthalpy of Export Stream

These are in reality the key contributions to the overall en-

Incentives and subsidies for both technology providers and
ergy balance in a hydrogen production plant by steam reform-
customers would be required to accelerate the adoption of
ing. Where, the lower heat value of Feed measured in kcal/
new approaches. Next, the rate of transition to hydrogen as a
Nm3H2, the lower heat value of Hydrogen computed in kcal/
fuel source will be influenced by the scope and consistency of
Nm3H2, the lower heat value of Fuel measured in kcal/Nm3H2
progress toward a hydrogen economy. It is theoretically
and the enthalpy of the export steam calculated in kcal/Nm3H2
possible to produce renewable hydrogen; however, in order
[33].
for the government to determine which renewable energy
Thermal gasification is a technique for turning biomass into
sources and also in what proportions would be helpful to the
syngas (a combination of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) by
progress of a hydrogen economy, thorough planning will be
the application of heat. This process includes heating up wood
required. Economic concerns for establishing renewable en-
pellets in an oxygen-free atmosphere to temperatures between
ergy projects must be explored before initiating any hydrogen
600  C and 900  C, which causes them to break down into their
distribution network [28].
component elements such as gases like CO2, H2O, and CH4. The
One successful technique for lowering energy consumption
resultant gaseous products are subsequently employed for
and carbon emissions related with the manufacture of steel and
different purposes like energy generation or chemical syn-
iron is to employ green hydrogen. Green hydrogen may be uti-
thesis operations [34]. The thermal gasification technique
lised as a substitute for conventional fossil fuels such as coal or
employs two separate processes: outer cylinder air gasification
natural gas, resulting in fewer greenhouse gas emissions from
and inner cylinder steam gasification. In outer cylinder air
these operations. Additionally, it might also be utilised directly
gasification, hot combustion gases are directly injected into to
inside specific chemical processes connected with steelmaking
the reactor chamber where they respond with feedstock ma-
process itself - substituting coke ovens and lowering total CO2
terial at elevated temperature levels; while in inner cylinder
emission even further. Other techniques used include renew-
steam gasification superheated water vapour is presented in-
able electricity resource such as solar or wind power rather than
side the reaction vessel provoking chemical reactions that
burning fossil fuels; making investments in more improved
break down complex molecules present within it resulting in
technology that consume less energy during production pro-
the formation of syngas usually contains hydrogen and carbon
cesses; incorporating waste heat recovery systems that capture
monoxide content between 85 % and 90% [35].
otherwise wasted thermal energy generated by industrial op-
Furthermore, Common conversion processes for creating
erations; utilising different materials (including recycled scrap
biofuels include pyrolysis, gasification, supercritical water
metal) whenever possible rather than needing to rely on virgin
gasification (SCWG) and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL).
raw material extraction methods; enhancing insulation around
Despite promising efficiency, these processes bring various
furnaces to minimize heat loss while operating at higher tem-
operational concerns such as process safety aspects related to
peratures [29]. Hydrogen has a considerable influence on the
operating circumstances; clogging due to solid deposition;
physical and mechanical characteristics of iron. It can soften
corrosion; pump ability of feedstock etc., which are impedi-
iron by boosting screw dislocation mobility at normal temper-
ments in their commercial adoption. Methods utilised solve
ature, but it also hardens iron owing to core interactions at low
these challenges entail different reactor layouts that mini-
temperatures [30]. The effects of hydrogen on iron
mize clogging or improving process conditions avoiding other
manufacturing vary with the kind and concentration of
associated concerns. These processes offer promise efficiency
hydrogen present. Generally, large amounts of hydrogen may
but also pose various concerns such as process safety con-
induce embrittlement in steel components owing to absorption
siderations related to operating circumstances; clogging due
into grain boundaries or production of hydrides inside grains.
to solid deposition; corrosion etc., that function as hurdles for
This might lead to cracking and failure under stress circum-
their industrialization [36].
stances. Hydrogen also impacts corrosion resistance by raising
Another process of generating hydrogen can be from Dark
pitting potentials which may result in increased localised
Fermentation in biological manner. Dark fermentation is a
corrosion rates if not controlled appropriately with adequate
hydrogen producing process carried out by anaerobic spore-
protective coatings or inhibitors for example chromates [31].
forming bacteria. These bacteria metabolise carbon sources
The application of green hydrogen in the iron and steel industry,
to create gas and short-chain acids as by-products, which may
has the potential to cut emissions by 2.3 Giga tonnes of carbon 7
be regulated if the circumstances in the reactor are appro-
dioxide per year (GtCO2/y) worldwide [18,32].
priate. A model based on acid-base species mass balance was
The hydrogen efficiency index value is determined as
suggested and solved to estimate lag phase duration, assess
follows:
efficiency of H2 generation, and predict its kinetics using
Hydrogen previously described growth medium for 150e200 h at given
hH2 ¼ (4)
Feed þ Fuel operating conditions in stirred batch reactors [37].
The energy efficiency (with steam) takes further into ac- The practicality of green hydrogen relies on numerous as-
count the enthalpy of the export stream, seen as an energy pects like cost-effectiveness, availability of adequate technol-
credit: ogy for production and storage, infrastructural needs etc. In

Please cite this article as: Patnaik D et al., Reducing CO2 emissions in the iron industry with green hydrogen, International Journal of
Hydrogen Energy, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.03.099
 international journal of hydrogen energy xxx (xxxx) xxx
terms of cost effectiveness, green hydrogen has grown more
competitive with other kinds owing to lowering prices in re-
newables technology over recent years making it more viable
than conventional techniques utilising combustion processes
driven by fossil fuels. Additionally, developments in fuel cell
technology have made them considerably cheaper enabling for
increased application across diverse industries like as trans-
portation where they are being employed widely currently.
Finally, there has to be appropriate infrastructure available so
that created green Hydrogen can reach its ultimate consumers
effectively without large losses along the route. Governments
throughout the globe should spend considerably if this aim is
going attain success at scale worldwide [40].
There must also be an economic incentive for individuals
to move from conventional fuels like gasoline or diesel fuel
over to green hydrogen-powered cars if they are going to
accomplish this transition effectively. All these concerns will
require rigorous assessment before any conclusion is made
regarding whether investing in a green hydrogen economy is
realistic at current time [41]. Due to current technological
limitations regarding efficiency levels when producing large
amounts of green hydrogen in comparison to conventional
methods like natural gas reforming processes, which are more
efficient but emit carbon dioxide during operation, it also re-
quires significant investment into development and research
before becoming economically feasible at scale [42].
Conclusion
Green Hydrogen may well be utilised as an alternative source
of energy in a range of sectors and enterprises as it is ecologi-
cally benign and has the potential to minimize emissions of
CO2. The ISI sector is the major user of energy in the globe,
accounting for 5% of global energy consumption and 4e5% of
CO2 emissions caused by humans. As a result, it is critical for
industry to maximise efficiency of energy and offset CO2
emissions in future prospective. An effective strategy for
limiting energy intake and carbon emissions associated with
the production of iron and steel has to recycle high-
temperature waste heat energy from various iron and steel
production processes and store it in molten slag and products.
Declaration of competing interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing
financial interests or personal relationships that could have
appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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