BlueScope to test low emissions Helios steel production technology

BlueScope Steel’s venture subsidiary BlueScopeX has signed a MoU with low emissions steel production technology developer Helios Project to demonstrate the use of its Helios Green Iron (HGI) technology in parts of BlueScope’s steelmaking operations.

Helios has developed the Helios Cycle process to produce iron and other metals using sodium as a reducing agent with less energy and no direct carbon emissions.

The initial phase of the collaboration will involve a pilot project where Helios will provide HGI produced by its pilot plants using its proprietary technology, starting in 2026.

The Chief Executive of BlueScope’s venture fund, BlueScopeX Andrew Garey said: “Decarbonizing the steel industry is an incredible challenge and we are thrilled to collaborate with companies like Helios that could support us on our journey.”

Helios, founded in 2018, began as a space tech company with the mission to extract oxygen from the moon, translating its technology to produce iron from iron ore and other metals, emitting only oxygen.

The CEO and co-founder of Helios Project Jonathan Geifman said: “This collaboration represents a significant milestone for our development and hints at the future of the global steel industry, with the adoption of new emerging sustainable innovations like the Helios Cycle.”

Helios, an affiliated member of the World Steel Association, seeks to address the global steel industry’s challenge of finding sustainable alternatives to coal, and producing green iron sourced from various types of iron ores, including low-grade ores and tailings.

Nearly two billion tons of steel are produced annually, contributing to almost 10 percent of global CO2 emissions.

Picture: Green steel