The extraordinary members of the commission of the Italian steel manufacturer Acciaierie d'Italia (formerly Ilva) from Taranto announced that as of September 26, 10 applications had been received for the acquisition of former Ilva enterprises.
Acciaierie d'Italia concluded a meeting in Taranto dedicated to the launch of pLoop, a new European project dedicated to development of innovative technologies for sustainable hydrogen production and reduction of steel emissions. the sector. The initiative, carried out in the plant's research center after two days of operation, is co-financed by the European Commission under the RFCS-BIG TICKET program.
The project, selected in the framework of the European Research and Innovation Support competition in accordance with the goals of the Green Deal, places the Acciaierie d'Italia Research and Development Center among its main partners. pLoop will operate for four years with the participation of three international organizations: the German research institute VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH (BFI), the Austrian company Rouge p Engineering AG, the developer of the technology under study, and the Turin Polytechnic University, which has received international recognition for its engineering expertise.The central focus of the project will be evaluating the feasibility of a patented chemical cycle (CLH) process, a system capable of producing hydrogen from metallurgical gases. According to Acciaierie d'Italia, this technology has significant potential to accelerate the sustainable transition of the steel industry by reducing co₂ emissions and integrating hydrogen into industrial applications.
It was proposed to place pilot plants at the Taranto site, which confirms the strategic role of the research center in the study of advanced technologies for the production of high-purity hydrogen through the conversion of blast furnace gas. During the pLoop launch meeting, the project partners initiated the first technical measures and inspected the plant's facilities and laboratories.
Acciaierie d'Italia describes pLoop as an "ambitious and cutting-edge project", considering it a strategic step towards a more sustainable and competitive steel industry. The initiative also reinforces Taranto's role as a center of excellence in technological research and innovation, supporting the energy transition and the goals of the European Green Deal.
