SARRALLE completes pioneering green hydrogen combustion system at Spanish ArcelorMittal mill

In Spain, SARRALLE has achieved a major milestone in the path toward industrial decarbonization with the successful completion of a pioneering green hydrogen combustion system at ArcelorMittal’s Olaberria plant, one of Europe’s most advanced steel production facilities.

The project represents a breakthrough in the use of green hydrogen and oxy-combustion technologies within the steelmaking industry. Designed, manufactured, and installed entirely by SARRALLE, the system enables the reheating furnace in the rolling mill to operate using 100% green hydrogen instead of natural gas — fully eliminating CO₂ emissions from the combustion process.

Developed in close collaboration with Nippon Gases, the system replaces traditional air–natural gas burners with hydrogen-based oxy-fuel burners, significantly improving thermal efficiency and ensuring cleaner, more sustainable steel production. The combustion of hydrogen generates only water vapor, making it a key enabler of zero-emission processes.

As reheating furnaces are among the most energy-intensive systems in steel plants — consuming up to 80% of a facility’s fuel — this innovation represents a crucial step toward the decarbonization of the steel sector, which currently accounts for around 9% of global CO₂ emissions.