Materials Processing Institute

Chris McDonald, the Chief Executive of the Materials Processing Institute, has welcomed the support of politicians from all sides in the creation of a green steel industry.

He was speaking after Shadow Energy Secretary Ed Miliband pledged that Labour would invest up to £3billion to decarbonise the sector as part of its plans for the green industrial revolution.

Chris McDonald said: “The transition to green steel delivers a double benefit through decarbonisation to meet net zero commitments alongside new productivity gains that will transform the international competitiveness of UK steel.

“Britain’s competitors in Germany, Canada, China and beyond are putting the investment in now to support the transition to green steel through hydrogen and electric arc furnaces so the UK steel industry will welcome the drive to embed modernisation in this country too.

“Innovation to deliver the new technologies essential for green steel is fundamental to the Institute’s work in Redcar, including our PRISM programme focused on decarbonisation, digital technologies and the circular economy.

“Therefore, I welcome the ambition for government and steel companies to work in partnership to deliver a step change for the British steel industry that will make us amongst the greenest and most competitive in the world.

Last year the government awarded the Materials Processing Institute £22m to lead a five-year research and innovation programme to revolutionise the steel and metals sector.

The projects include: the development of low carbon, electric and hydrogen-based steelmaking, scrap recycling and new sustainable processes; new technologies for the extraction and recycling or rare metals, and the development and commercialisation of technologies in the SME supply chain to increase productivity and product capability.

Both electric arc technology and hydrogen would replace the need to produce steel using highly polluting coal-fired blast furnaces and reduce the country’s reliance on foreign steel. Electric arc furnaces also use high currents to melt down scrap steel, which, burns off impurities to convert it into liquid steel.

ENDS

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF MATERIALS PROCESSING INSTITUTE

MEDIA CONTACT: Andrew Douglas 01325 363 436

Notes to editors:

Materials Processing Institute

The Materials Processing Institute is a research and innovation centre serving global steel and materials organisations that work in advanced materials, industrial decarbonisation, the circular economy and digital technologies.

The Institute has served as the UK’s national steel innovation centre since 1944 having been set up by Sir Winston Churchill’s wartime government just before D-Day to equip the British steel industry for post-war reconstruction. It celebrated its 75^th anniversary in 2019.

Through collaboration with its customers, the Institute provides a range of technology and R&D based services and consultancy. It also has pilot and demonstration facilities and an SME Technology Centre to support supply chain businesses with the development of new technologies and products.

Works with: steel, metals and alloys, chemical processes, aerospace and defence, energy, mining and quarrying, construction, rail, transport, and infrastructure, offshore, subsea, and nuclear.

The Materials Processing Institute includes developments funded through Tees Valley Combined Authority, through the Local Growth Fund (Growth Deal).