LowCO2Bars

LowCO2bars pioneers the application of an Innovative Heating Material System (IHMS) technology in industrial hot rolling mills for steel bars in Brescia, Italy. It is an excellent example of direct electrification in energy-intensive industries. Using the so-called Joule effect to heat materials, IHMS provides an efficient alternative to gas heating, reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 55% and saving around 13381 tons of CO2 annually. The project minimises heat loss by integrating IHMS with a hot charging system, enhancing overall production efficiency. This initiative will significantly contribute to the steel industry’s transition towards sustainability, offering opportunities for transformative change in the sector.

IHMS represents an effective and sustainable solution for the production of steel rebars, being more efficient than alternative heating systems such as gas ovens or electromagnetic induction. LowCO2bars will integrate IHMS to heat steel billets for an entire plant production of 680000 ton/year of steel rebars.

The technology will be used in a second heating step (from 900-950 °C to 1100-1150 °C), and it will require 50 kWh/ton of product, allowing a gas consumption reduction of 55%. IHMS offers several key technical benefits such as a high electro-thermal conversion efficiency (near to ~90%), fast heating and high operational runtime, enabling the management of high-productivity cycles, and a flexible design adaptable to a large range of billet sizes. IHMS is a cost-effective solution with lower CAPEX and maintenance costs than conventional electric heating alternatives (e.g., induction heaters). Additionally, the technology heats billets from the inside out, ensuring uniform temperature distribution and, thus, high-quality steel production.

LowC02bars supports the European Green Deal’s industrial emission reduction target of 55% by 2030. Sourcing electricity from renewable energy can also contribute to the target of 42.5% of renewable energy sources by 2030, set in the REPowerEU plan and the Renewable Energy Directive. The project strengthens Europe’s position in sustainable innovation and decarbonisation technologies by demonstrating the integration of renewable energy into heavy industry.

Shifting to IHMS technology necessitates hiring or training technical staff, which will contribute to job creation and foster green industrial skill development. Eurofer estimates that deploying 70 IHMS systems across Europe by 2030 could generate 3 500 direct and indirect jobs. Lombardy, where the project is located, produces 50% of Italy’s crude steel (23 million tons annually). LowC02bars is central to its transformation. The province of Brescia, a steel manufacturing hub with 13 electric arc furnace (EAF) plants and hot rolling mills, produces 35% of Italy’s steel and is thus particularly well-positioned for IHMS adoption.