Element Zero Named Top Innovator in World Economic Forum Near-Zero Steel Challenge
Element Zero has been recognised by the World Economic Forum’s First Movers Coalition through its Near-Zero Steel Challenge for our electrowinning technology and its potential to support the decarbonisation of iron and steel production.
The Near-Zero Steel Challenge brought together technologies and solutions that could help the steel industry move towards near-zero emissions production. The challenge considered enabling technologies across areas including direct reduction, electrolysis, clean hydrogen, furnace technology and carbon capture.
Element Zero’s technology uses a low-temperature electrochemical process to convert iron ore into high-purity iron. Our process can treat hematite and magnetite in a proprietary alkaline electrolyte before selectively reducing dissolved iron oxide to produce high-purity iron.
Operating at relatively low temperatures also allows the process to be paired with renewable electricity, providing a potential pathway to iron production without the coal and carbon-intensive processes traditionally associated with ironmaking.
Recognition by the First Movers Coalition reflects the potential of Element Zero’s technology to contribute to lower-emissions iron and steel production as the industry works towards its decarbonisation goals.
The World Economic Forum’s Near-Zero Steel Challenge assessed technologies intended to help enable the production of near-zero emissions steel at commercial scale.