Boston Metal’s Molten Oxide Metamorphosis

Boston Metal’s molten oxide electrolysis technology, active since 2013, uses electricity to split iron ore into molten iron and oxygen at 1,600°C, producing zero-association CO₂. With $370 million raised, advanced pilot cells now produce liquid iron by the tonne, and commercial licensing is aimed for 2026–2028.

Electra Steel’s Ambient‑Temp Electroplating

Electra Steel’s hydrometallurgical process dissolves ore in acid and deposits 99 % pure iron at ~60°C using modular electrolytic cells. Backed by $186 million from investors including Temasek and Nucor, its Boulder pilot will scale to 1 m² plates (~80 kg iron each), supporting eventual 1 million ton/year plants.

Ferrosilva’s Biomass‑Syngas Sponge Iron

Ferrosilva plans a 50,000 metric tons per year fossil‑free sponge iron plant in Finland/Sweden by 2026–2027. Its DRI process uses forest-residue-derived biogenic syngas, capturing CO₂ to produce a negative‑carbon effect (~845 kg CO₂ removed per ton), requiring only a tenth of the electricity of hydrogen‑based routes.

ΣIDERWIN’s Electrochemical Elegance

The ΣIDERWIN pilot, developed under EU SPIRE, uses low-temperature electrolysis on submerged iron-oxide electrodes producing steel plate with 90% faradaic efficiency and reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 74%. The process can be scaled to 100,000–200,000 metric tons per year and is fully electrified.

HyIron’s Ecological Alchemy (Emerging)

HyIron offers a yet-to-be-piloted hydrogen-based process that blends an arc-heated plasma-reduction stage with bio-hydrogen infusion to produce variable volumes of sponge iron with reduced emissions. Details on output capacities and timetable are in development.

Herta Metals’ Eco‑Friendly Transition

Herta Metals pilots an electrolytic acid‑cell method at 250 °C, converting low-grade ores into green iron feedstock for electric arc furnaces. Early tests indicate scalable modules capable of 10,000 metric tons per year.

Molten Industries’ Carbon‑Capturing Crucible

Molten Industries innovates a hybrid MOE–plasma reactor that processes iron ore and scrap in a single vessel. Initial prototypes output 5 ton/week, with plans to scale to 100,000 metric tons per year and integrate CO₂ capture for carbon-negative steel production.

4. Key Takeaways (Bullet Points)

• Emerging green‑steel innovators are targeting outputs ranging from 50,000 to several million metric tons/year using modular electrolytic, biomass‑syngas, and plasma methods.

• Technologies span extreme‑heat MOE, low‑temperature electroplating, biomass‑based DRI, & electrochemical cells, each cutting CO₂ emissions by 60–100%.

• Backed by hundreds of millions €/$ in funding, pilots and commercial online plants are expected between 2026 and 2028, signaling a shift toward industrial decarbonization.