Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH (SZFG) has awarded the contract to build a 2.2 megawatt PEM electrolysis plant (PEM = Proton Exchange Membrane) to Siemens Gas and Power, marking an important step towards hydrogen-based steelmaking. The plant is due to commence operation in the 4th quarter of 2020 and cover SZFG’s entire current demand for hydrogen. The necessary electrical power will be generated by seven wind turbines with a capacity of 30 megawatt. These will be erected by Avacon AG on the Salzgitter Group site and will likewise enter service from 2020.
Salzgitter AG Executive Board Chairman Professor Heinz Jörg Fuhrmann commented: “We are proud to be pioneers in the industrial application of hydrogen in the steel industry. As our SALCOS project has demonstrated, we are technologically in a position to achieve significant reductions in CO 2 with the aid of hydrogen. The Salzgitter Wind Hydrogen project is an important building block on the way towards climate-friendly steel production. It is now the turn of politicians to put in place the right conditions to support the transformation into a low-CO 2 industry.”
The cost of the project as a whole – including the construction of the wind turbines and the hydrogen plant and connecting these to the existing supply networks – amounts to around 50 million euro. Hydrogen has long played a role in steelmaking, in enhancing the quality of annealing processes. The gas is currently supplied by Linde AG, and this company will in future continue to safeguard Salzgitter’s own production.
A containerized plant will be erected in Salzgitter which at full capacity will produce 400 Nm 3 of hydrogen. PEM technology is ideally suited to exploiting the volatile generation of wind and solar power. The highly dynamic mode of operation allows the plants to respond to demands resulting from the rapidly fluctuating power supply.
Gabriele Schmiedel, Executive Vice President, Hydrogen Solutions at Siemens Gas and Power, explained: “Reducing CO 2 across all industries is a central challenge if we are to meet medium- and long-term climate targets. Renewable energy generation and innovative technologies such as the production of green hydrogen through electrolysis are essential components. We are delighted to join with Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH to advance the application of green hydrogen in the steel industry.”
For further information on the SALCOS Project visit: https://salcos.salzgitter-ag.com and https://www.windh2.de/
Bernhard Kleinermann
Salzgitter AG
Eisenhüttenstraße 99 38239 Salzgitter Germany
Siemens Gas and Power (GP) is a global pacesetter in energy, helping customers to meet the evolving demands of today’s industries and societies. GP comprises broad competencies across the entire energy value chain and offers a uniquely comprehensive portfolio for utilities, independent power producers, transmission system operators, the oil and gas industry and other energy intensive industries. Products, solutions, systems and services address the extraction, processing and the transport of oil and gas as well as power and heat generation in central and distributed thermal power plants, power transmission and grid stability, as well as energy transition technologies including storage. With global headquarters in Houston in the U.S. and around 63,000 employees in over 80 countries, Siemens Gas and Power has a presence across the globe and is a leading innovator for the energy systems of today and tomorrow, as it has been for more than 150 years.
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of power generation and distribution, intelligent infrastructure for buildings and distributed energy systems, and automation and digitalization in the process and manufacturing industries. Through the separately managed company Siemens Mobility, a leading supplier of smart mobility solutions for rail and road transport, Siemens is shaping the world market for passenger and freight services. Due to its majority stakes in the publicly listed companies Siemens Healthineers AG and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Siemens is also a world-leading supplier of medical technology and digital healthcare services as well as environmentally friendly solutions for onshore and offshore wind power generation. In fiscal 2019, which ended on September 30, 2019, Siemens generated revenue of €86.8 billion and net income of €5.6 billion. At the end of September 2019, the company had around 385,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com .
Die Salzgitter AG is one of Europe’s leading steel and technology groups – with external sales of around 9 billion euro, a workforce of over 25,000 and just under 160 national and international subsidiary and associate companies. It is comprised of the Rolled Steel, Plate/Sections, Mannesmann, Trading and Technology business units. Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH is the largest subsidiary, producing a broad range of high-quality special and branded steels for demanding customer segments such as the automobile industry. Details of the Salzgitter Group are available online at www.salzgitter-ag.com.
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