The foundation was set for one of Europe’s largest green hydrogen production plants, on Thursday, according to reports.
Scheduled to begin operations in 2026, the plant will produce approximately 9,000 tons of green hydrogen annually to be used in the production of carbon-reduced steel. This initiative represents a step in the industrial application of hydrogen under the SALCOS® – Salzgitter Low CO₂ Steelmaking program, which aims to achieve near-zero carbon emissions in steel production.
The project includes a 100 MW electrolysis plant, which will be developed on an EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) basis by the international technology company ANDRITZ, incorporating HydrogenPro’s advanced pressurized alkaline electrolysis technology.
Gerd Baresch, Technical Director of Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH , said that this moment represents a further major step in our SALCOS ® program and called it a transformation of the company to low-carbon steel production progressing on schedule.
“With this system for on-site hydrogen production, we are fulfilling our side of the bargain. The onus is now on governments to create suitable framework conditions for green production. The priorities here are competitive grid costs and a commitment to building the hydrogen economy,” he added.
Sami Pelkonen, Executive Vice President of Green Hydrogen at ANDRITZ, added, “Our extensive experience in the construction of major plants provides us with a solid foundation for realizing this innovative project. It fits perfectly with our long-term growth strategy, which is focused on decarbonization and supports our customers, such as Salzgitter, in mastering their green transformation.”