STK0155 – Hydrogen-Based Direct Reduction: Challenges and Measures for Sustainable Steelmaking

Description

Date: 03 November, 2025, 13.00 UTC.

Estimated Time: 1 hr

Language: English

Summary of the lecture

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.

Speaker Introduction

Valentina Colla
Associate Professor of Metallurgy , Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna

Valentina Colla is an Associate Professor of Metallurgy at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, Italy, where she leads the ICT for Complex Industrial Systems and Processes research group.

She has coordinated or participated in over 80 EU-funded projects and currently leads two Horizon Europe initiatives: “Maximise H₂ Enrichment in Direct Reduction Shaft Furnaces” and “Gradual Integration of Renewable Non-Fossil Energy Sources and Modular Heating Technologies in EAF for Progressive CO₂ Decrease.”

Prof. Colla is an active member of the European Steel Technology Platform (ESTEP), chairing the Smart Factory Focus Group and serving as vice-chair of the Circular Economy Focus Group.