According to Salzgitter, the seven newly built turbines, operated by renewable energy supplier Avacon AG, together can produce 30 MW of power. Salzgitter said the EUR50 million project, dubbed WindH2, is a cornerstone of its SALCOS (Salzgitter Low CO₂ Steelmaking) effort. Through the SALCOS initiative, Salzgitter is trying to move itself to a hydrogen-fueled, direct reduction-electric-arc-furnace process route.  

“With WindH2, the partners intend to gather the know-how and experience from the on-site production of wind power and hydrogen, as well as their integration into the complex workflows and processes of an integrated steel works,” the company said.  
Salzgitter chief executive Heinz Jörg Fuhrmann said the project will help the company pioneer the use of green hydrogen in the steel industry. 

“As we have demonstrated with our SALCOS project, we are technically in a position to achieve significant CO₂ reductions using hydrogen. Unique so far in Germany, the cross-sector WindH2 (project) is a significant stepping stone on the way to climate-friendly steel production.”