As is the case in many other integrated steel works, we also produce a surplus of blast furnace gas. That gas is produced in the blast furnace during the conversion of sinter and coke into liquid hot metal. The blast furnace gas is recycled and is used in other production departments. However, this gas cannot be used in all facilities because of its low calorific value. That explains why we only use 35 % of the produced blast furnace gas internally and why 65% of it goes to a power station of Electrabel, where the gas is converted into electricity.

At the moment, the conversion still takes place in the Rodenhuize power station, but that is about to change since two out of three processing groups in the Rodenhuize power station will no longer be used. In the future, Electrabel will convert the blast furnace gas into electricity in a new power station, called “Knippegroen”, which is now being built. In the Rodenhuize power station, one processing group will be retained as a backup.