New Zealand startup CullBeck is developing a method to eliminate carbon emissions from steelmaking by replacing carbon with hydrogen. The process aims to reduce ironmaking times and lower overall production costs. Developed at Victoria University of Wellington and supported by Aurora Climate Lab, the technology also focuses on recovering critical minerals during the process to improve supply chain security.
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Hydrogen for steel is a huge goal, but the scale needed is massive. Interesting to see a NZ startup tackling this via Victoria University.
The real question is where the hydrogen comes from. If they need massive amounts of green hydrogen, they will need a huge amount of new renewable capacity and electrolysis plants. Does the local grid even have the headroom for that?
Regardless of the grid, the economics only work if there is a high enough carbon price or a direct subsidy for green steel. Without a policy mandate, the cost gap between blast furnaces and hydrogen is too wide.
Replacing carbon with hydrogen in existing plants is usually a nightmare for infrastructure. I wonder if this is a new build process or something that can actually be retrofitted into old mills.
