The global metal industry relies on coal and coke to extract metals from ore, leading to significant CO₂ emissions. Although Norway boasts one of the cleanest metal production processes globally, due to the use of hydroelectric power, there are still significant emissions due to the use of fossil fuels like metallurgical coke being used as reducing agents in raw material processing.
Why hydrogen plasma?
In minerals, metals are typically bound with oxygen and other elements, forming what we call “ores.” To extract usable metal, we need to remove the oxygen. However, ordinary gas is not reactive enough to achieve this. By heating hydrogen to very high temperatures, it transforms into plasma, which is significantly more reactive than ordinary hydrogen. This highly reactive plasma is much more effective at removing oxygen from ore, whereby producing the desired metal.
How does hydrogen plasma work?
In traditional steel production, carbon from coal is used to remove oxygen from iron ore, releasing large amounts of CO₂. With hydrogen plasma, the same chemical process occurs, but instead of CO₂, only water vapor is produced. In theory, this could make steel production nearly emission-free.
Researchers at SINTEF are now investigating how hydrogen plasma can be used in the production of ferromanganese, an essential alloy in the steel industry. They are examining how the technology can be scaled up, the energy resources required, and the potential impact on Norwegian industry.
- If we succeed with hydrogen plasma, we can eliminate significant CO₂ emissions from the metal industry. This could be a breakthrough for the green transition in steel production. says Kristine Bly, Master of Science at SINTEF.
The HyPla project explored how hydrogen plasma could replace carbon in metal production, thereby eliminating CO₂ emissions. Through theoretical studies, laboratory experiments, and pilot-scale testing, the project developed a new production process where electricity and hydrogen plasma were used to reduce manganese ore. This laid an important foundation for sustainable and emission-free metallurgy. To assess the broader, cross-border effects that arise from hydrogen plasma technology adoption, we conducted a ‘'what-if” scenario by combining Global Value Chain (GVC) analysis and a Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) model. Our assessment examined the potential economic, environmental, and social impacts wide-spread HyPla adoption in Norway.
Challenges and possible solutions
Although hydrogen plasma has great potential, there are challenges:
- Access to green hydrogen: To ensure sustainability, hydrogen must be produced using renewable energy. Norway has favorable conditions for this through hydropower and increasing investments in wind and solar energy.
- Economic feasibility: Transitioning to hydrogen-based steel production requires significant investments in new facilities and infrastructure. Support schemes and collaboration between industry and government can help make the technology competitive.
- Industrial adaptation: Shifting to hydrogen plasma will impact the industry's value chain. Suppliers of coal and coke may lose market share, while new jobs will emerge in hydrogen production and advanced material handling.
What does this mean for the green transition in Norway?
If hydrogen plasma technology succeeds, Norway can strengthen its position as a leader in sustainable industry. Achieving this transition will require the implementation of several key measures.
Investment in hydrogen infrastructure
To enable widespread adoption of hydrogen plasma technology, significant investments in hydrogen infrastructure are required. This includes ensuring that hydrogen production can scale up to meet growing demand from industries like steel production. Additionally, infrastructure for hydrogen storage is crucial to maintaining a stable supply, especially given the variable nature of renewable energy sources needed for green hydrogen production. Transportation infrastructure, including pipelines and distribution networks, must be developed to deliver hydrogen safely and efficiently to industrial sites. These investments will not only establish the necessary physical infrastructure but also reduce hydrogen costs and improve its accessibility across sectors.
Increased research and innovation
Ongoing research and innovation are critical to overcoming technical challenges in hydrogen plasma technology and making it economically viable. Through pilot projects and test facilities, researchers can test the technology in real-world scenarios, gather valuable data to improve processes, and identify areas for further development. These efforts will help reduce the costs of hydrogen plasma production, including energy consumption and equipment expenses, and facilitate scaling the technology for broader industrial applications. Research is also needed to explore new materials, optimize plasma reactions, and develop more sustainable production methods. This will help establish hydrogen plasma as a reliable and cost-effective solution for emission-free steel production.
Close collaboration between industry and government
The transition to hydrogen plasma technology requires strong collaboration between the private sector and public authorities. Governments can play a key role in supporting the development and implementation of hydrogen plasma technology through financial support, grants, and incentives that reduce the initial investment burden for companies. Such programs will help mitigate financial risks, enabling industries to experiment with and adopt the technology more quickly. Additionally, regulatory frameworks and policies that promote clean technology adoption will align industrial goals with environmental and societal objectives, ensuring a smooth transition. Close cooperation also allows for knowledge-sharing and best practices, ensuring that hydrogen plasma becomes an industry standard.
Competence development and education
To integrate hydrogen plasma technology into Norwegian industry, investment in workforce skills development is crucial. This includes training and education programs for engineers, technicians, and skilled workers to ensure they have the expertise needed to work with cutting-edge technology. Universities and research institutes should adapt their curricula to include hydrogen technology, covering production, storage, and industrial applications. Competence development will not only drive innovation but also ensure that the workforce is well-equipped to adapt to changes brought by the green transition.
The road ahead
Hydrogen plasma is still in the research stage, but progress is accelerating. If challenges related to energy consumption and costs can be resolved, this technology could become one of the most important solutions for emission-free metal production. With abundant renewable energy resources and world-leading research environments, Norway has a unique opportunity to lead this transition. At the same time, we must ensure that the shift is fair, providing workers and businesses with the time and resources needed to adapt.
Sustainability impacts of hydrogen plasma technology
Our sustainability impact analysis evaluates the adoption of hydrogen plasma technology for ferromanganese production in Norway.
Implications for Norway
Norway’s shift to hydrogen plasma technology for ferromanganese production brings a mix of opportunities and challenges. While there are significant gains in value-added and employment in knowledge-intensive services, capital goods, and electricity supply, traditional sectors like mining, quarrying, and coke production face notable setbacks.
GVC Impacts
The impacts beyond Norway are less significant but reveal notable patterns. Because of the structure of the ferromanganese value chain, both the upstream (suppliers) and downstream (consumers) sectors experience effects. However, the upstream part of the value chain faces greater trade-offs.
Short-term emissions, long-term impact
Our findings indicate that during the investment phase, plasma technology leads to a short-term increase in GHG emissions in Norway’s basic metals, electricity and gas supply, and chemical sectors due to higher energy and materials demand. However, during operations, emissions decrease in the mining and quarrying, and coke and refined petroleum products sectors. While hydrogen plasma potentially offers environmental benefits in the long-term, sustainability is about more than just cutting emissions. Transitioning to this technology could drive significant ripple effects across interconnected global supply chains. For instance, shifting from carbon-based processes might reduce demand for traditional reducing agents like metallurgical coke, while the energy-intensive nature of hydrogen plasma could increase the need for renewable energy infrastructure. These changes may impact industries, regions, and jobs far beyond the production sites.
From a Norwegian socio-economic perspective, adopting this technology could benefit sectors such as machinery equipment, and professional services. However, the global economic effects during the operations stage are mixed. Norway experiences positive impacts on value-added and employment, but globally, sectors like mining and coke production decline due to reduced demand for coke, affecting countries like Denmark, Brazil, Nigeria, and the USA.
