LanzaTech Global, Inc. and ArcelorMittal S.A. have announced that ethanol production at ArcelorMittal’s Steelanol facility in Ghent has reached a level that supports shipping by barge. The first barge shipment of ethanol was taken by LanzaTech earlier this month and is en route to be purified and sold to customers in the fragrance and home care markets.
The Steelanol facility uses LanzaTech’s carbon recycling technology to convert carbon-rich industrial emissions from ArcelorMittal’s blast furnace into fuel-grade ethanol. Ethanol production began in 2023, making the facility a first-of-its-kind for the European steel industry.
The produced ethanol can be sold directly into fuel markets or further purified or converted for use in various consumer products, such as apparel, personal care, and packaging.
This achievement marks a significant step towards treating industrial emissions as raw materials rather than waste, supporting European supply chains in the creation of everyday products. The facility has the capacity to produce 80 million liters of advanced ethanol annually, reducing carbon emissions from the Gent plant by 125,000 tonnes annually.
The Steelanol project is part of ArcelorMittal’s decarbonization efforts, which also include initiatives such as Torero, which produces biocoal from waste wood. The company aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and is committed to a holistic approach to addressing climate challenges, including energy efficiency, carbon capture and storage, and electrification.
Project partners include Primetals Technologies and E4tech, with support from CINEA, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency.
