Research hub's furnace ignites green steel push

A research and innovation base has installed a new steelmaking facility designed to support greener industrial innovation.

The Materials Processing Institute has unveiled a new seven-tonne Electric Arc Furnace at its Green Steel Centre in Teesside, expanding its capability to develop and test low-carbon steelmaking technologies.

The pilot-scale facility is believed to be the only research Electric Arc Furnace of its kind in the UK and will allow steelmakers, technology developers and researchers to trial new operating methods and specialist steel production techniques.

Electric steelmaking is seen as a key route to reducing emissions within the global steel industry, with pilot facilities helping businesses test processes before full-scale industrial deployment.

Bosses say the new facility is already supporting collaborative research projects involving steel producers, academic institutions and technology partners from across the UK and overseas.

Mark Allan, green steel centre lead at the Materials Processing Institute, said: “Electric Arc Furnace steelmaking plays a crucial role in the transition to lower-carbon steel production. 

“This new furnace incorporates the latest production technologies and machine learning integration. 

“We can work directly with steel producers and the wider supply chain to trial new operating strategies, optimise recycled contents use and accelerate the deployment of all sorts of green and sustainable steelmaking technologies.”

Alan Scholes, chief technology officer at the Materials Processing Institute, added: “This new EAF enhances our ability to scale up research and provides industry and other partners with access to steelmaking testing and development facilities that replicate modern industrial EAF steelmaking environments.”

The furnace was supplied and installed by INTECO and forms part of the Foundation Industry Sustainability Consortium EconoMISER programme.

Manfred Pieber, head of project management at INTECO, added: “Our furnace will enable MPI to enter a new era of research and development by providing a highly flexible, precisely controlled furnace for advanced liquid steel experimentation. 

“Its ability to reproduce industrially relevant conditions will allow MPI’s researchers to explore new materials, processes, and fundamental phenomena faster and more reliably. 

“This capability strengthens the bridge between fundamental science and applied innovation, positioning MPI at the forefront of next‑generation materials and process research.”

The project received £2.9 million in grant funding from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), through the Foundation Industry Sustainability Consortium (FISC) EconoMISER programme.

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