NLMK, Rosatom to collaborate in hydrogen production, CO2 capture

MOSCOW. Dec 27 (Interfax) - Steelmaker NLMK and the Rosatom Group's Rusatom Overseas have signed a cooperation agreement in the field of hydrogen production and the development of technologies for CO2 capture and utilization, NLMK said in a press release.

The agreement sets out joint R&D efforts in hydrogen production technologies such as water electrolysis, steam methane reforming with CO2 capture, methane pyrolysis, and piloting hydrogen production projects. As part of the collaboration, the parties also plan to assess the technical and commercial aspects of producing climate-neutral hydrogen.

"We see interest in hydrogen technologies from leading industrial companies, and we are happy to cooperate with NLMK Group, a major international player in the steelmaking sector. We are convinced that hydrogen technologies will fill a solid market niche in the countries and regions that set ambitious goals of reducing CO2 emissions in the very near future, and we are developing our own know-how solutions across the entire lifecycle of hydrogen, including promising technologies for the production of low-carbon hydrogen," said Evgeny Pakermanov, President of Rusatom Overseas.

NLMK Group is a vertically integrated steel company with production assets in Russia, Europe and the United States and annual steel production capacity of 17 million tonnes.

Vladimir Lisin, chairman of the NLMK board of directors, owns 79.3% of the company via Fletcher Group Holdings. Lisin owns 95.74% of FGH directly and via Rumelco LLC. Yury Lisin's RiskInvest Holding owns the other 4.26%.