Liberty Steel to build electric arc furnace at Whyalle plant in Australia
British steel producer Liberty Steel will build an electric arc furnace (EAF) at its Whyalla plant in South Australia to phase out coal-based steel production while increasing capacity.
Liberty signed a supply contract new low-carbon EAF with Italian equipment manufacturer Danieli, which will increase the capacity of the Whyalla steel plant from 1 to more than 1.5 million tons of liquid steel per year. Engineering work has already begun and construction is expected to be completed in 2025, Liberty Steel said. The new EAF will replace the plant's existing coke ovens and blast furnace.
First, domestic scrap steel and other ferrous materials will be fed into the furnace to achieve an expected 90% reduction in direct CO2 emissions compared to traditional blast furnace production.
Danieli's patented Q-One technology provides direct power from clean energy sources, aligning the plant with future renewable energy development plans in the Spencer Gulf region on Australia's south coast.
Steel mill announced that it will apply for a A$50m ($33.6m) government grant to partially fund the electric arc furnace installation, which will reportedly require an investment of between A$400m and A$500m.