Bokaro Steel Plant to inject green hydrogen for clean steel production

Bokaro Steel Plant has partnered with Forbes Marshall Private Limited to pilot hydrogen injection technology in its Blast Furnace-1, in a move aimed at reducing emissions from steel production. The initiative is being undertaken as part of India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.

With this development, Bokaro is set to become the first unit under Steel Authority of India Limited to experiment with hydrogen use in blast furnace operations. The technology will introduce hydrogen as a partial substitute for coal and other carbon-intensive fuels traditionally used in steelmaking.

Officials noted that hydrogen, being a cleaner fuel, can significantly cut carbon dioxide emissions while enhancing the plant’s environmental performance. The pilot project is expected to serve as a crucial step in assessing the feasibility of hydrogen-based steel production in India.

The initiative aligns with India’s climate commitments announced by Narendra Modi at COP26, where the country pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.

Industry experts believe that adopting hydrogen in steelmaking could play a transformative role in reducing the sector’s carbon footprint, while also boosting the global competitiveness of Indian steel. The project is being viewed as a significant milestone in advancing sustainable and low-carbon industrial practices in the country.

The iron & steel industry is already striving to decarbonise the processes with the employment of green hydrogen. India’s first commercial-scale green hydrogen plant within the stainless steel industry was inaugurated at Jindal Stainless Ltd’s (JSL) manufacturing unit in Haryana’s Hisar.

Similarly, India’s biggest steel maker Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) signed an MoU with John Cockerill India Limited (JCIL) to revolutionize green steel production with the integration of green hydrogen.