Spanish oil and gas firm Moeve and steel giant ArcelorMittal have announced a new platform to collaborate on the use of green hydrogen and other clean fuels in steel production, jointly owned under their Green Molecules to Green Steel alliance.
The platform will combine company and public funds to develop, scale and implement disruptive technologies enabling green molecules to drive the transition to low-emission steel and industrial decarbonisation, focusing on green hydrogen and its derivatives, biogas, biomethane and second-generation biofuels. ArcelorMittal said the cross-sector, public-private collaboration will focus on developing industrial demonstrators that can later be scaled up at production facilities.
The Asturian Agency for Science, Business Competitiveness and Innovation will also participate through existing and future innovation mechanisms in Asturias, northern Spain, with future participation from other public or private organisations not ruled out.
ArcelorMittal’s Chief Technology Officer Pinakin Chaubal said the company must continue exploring technologies for sustainable production and cannot solve the challenge alone, emphasising the need for collaborative innovation models. Moeve CEO Maarten Wetselaar said the alliance strengthens collaboration between two major global companies committed to decarbonisation and Europe’s energy competitiveness.
The announcement follows ArcelorMittal’s cancellation of plans for a €1.3 billion German green-hydrogen-fired direct-reduced iron plant and electric arc furnaces, after the steelmaker said financial support offered was insufficient to make the business case viable.
