The decarbonisation of the steel sector is a central priority in achieving the EU Green Deal targets. One promising pathway involves replacing fossil coal with biobased alternatives—particularly biocoal derived from bio-waste. While woody biomass has shown potential, its use is constrained by high costs and limited feedstock availability. In contrast, converting waste into high value biocoal supports both climate goals and the EU’s vision for a circular economy.
However, challenges remain: to be suitable for use in steelmaking, bio-waste-based biocoal must meet stringent quality criteria, including low ash content and reduced levels of harmful elements such as phosphorus, potassium and sulphur. Interestingly, some of these elements—while undesirable in the steel sector—are highly valuable in agriculture, opening the door to innovative recovery and reuse strategies.
In the framework of the European H2STEEL project, partners - such as I3P - have developed and demonstrated advanced processes to upgrade the quality of biocoal obtained through bio-waste pyrolysis. These include chemical treatments and phosphorus recovery, enabling the dual use of biocoal as a reducing agent for steelmaking and a source of nutrient-rich fertilisers.
This workshop, organised by the Renewable Energy Consortium for Research and Demonstration (RE-CORD) as part of the H2STEEL project, will present recent findings, technical advances, and pilot-scale results focused on:
- Valorisation of sewage sludge and digestate
- Slow pyrolysis and biocoal quality
- Phosphorus recovery and circular applications
You’ll hear directly from leading experts and project partners and have the opportunity to engage in an interactive Q&A session.
The workshop will be held online, via Microsoft Teams, on May 27th, 2025 starting at 11:00 CEST. Participation is free, after registration.
Speakers
- Prof. David Chiaramonti – President of RE-CORD | Head of FitFor55-Foresight-Fuel Team, Politecnico di Torino
- Viviana Negro – Assistant Professor, Politecnico di Torino
- Andrea Salimbeni – Head of Unit, Raw Materials & Carbon Recycling, RE-CORD
- Marta Di Bianca – R&D Engineer, RE-CORD
- Giacomo Lombardi – R&D Engineer, RE-CORD
Agenda
- 11:00 | Welcome & Introduction to H2STEEL
- 11:15 | Carbon and phosphorus potential in sewage sludge and digestate
- 11:30 | Slow pyrolysis processes and achievable char quality
- 11:45 | Break
- 11:55 | Chemical leaching and phosphorus recovery
- 12:10 | Applications and quality of final biocoal products
- 12:25 | Conclusions & Q&A
