Azerbaijan has completed the feasibility study for its first large-scale Hot Briquetted Iron project, marking a major step toward green steel production. The facility will use natural gas-based direct reduction technology, cutting CO₂ emissions roughly in half compared to traditional blast furnace methods. It is designed to supply European steelmakers seeking low-carbon iron units amid tightening carbon regulations. The project also includes provisions for future hydrogen-based operations, aligning Azerbaijan's industrial ambitions its long-term decarbonization goals.