Project HURRICANE ambition is to create a sector-coupling circular hub centered around the steel factory of ArcelorMittal Ghent site. Through innovative design and optimization of heat exchangers, waste heat recuperation and district heating solutions, the project aim to enhance resource efficiency, minimize CO₂ emissions, and reduce dependency on fossil fuels. The project aims to make a substantial impact on reducing energy, water, and raw material consumption by at least 20%. 

Why the Hurricane project? 

The HURRICANE project addresses several challenges within the industrial landscape, focusing particularly on the steel industry. The key issues include efficient heat recovery, reducing the dependency on fossil fuels and connecting multi-sectoral processes of energy, water and materials. 

Traditional steelmaking processes contribute significantly to global CO₂ emissions due to the reliance on fossil fuels. HURRICANE aims to develop innovative heat exchanger technologies and concepts that capture and repurpose industrial heat. Developing novel heat exchangers and a high-temperature heat pump system, and connecting them to a heat grid, are ambitious goals. 

With VITO’s digital tools, the project will also work on broadening the district heating network and adapting the heat demand profile to better match the intermittent nature of waste heat. The integrated software tool for circular hubs, along with two virtual demonstrations, will help in validating and replicating the project’s outcomes. This could potentially set a new standard for circular economy practices in the industrial steel sector. By exploring alternative energy sources and innovative heating solutions, HURRICANE seeks to reduce reliance on fossil fuel-based natural gas, promoting sustainability and energy security. 

HURRICANE advocates for the establishment of multi-sectoral circular hubs to achieve efficient resource management. By integrating diverse industrial processes, we aim to minimize waste and maximize the utilization of energy, water, and materials.

HURRICANE’s approach is holistic and innovative, focusing on:

• Transforming the ArcelorMittal Ghent site into a sector-coupling circular hub.
• Implementing advanced waste heat recovery and utilization solutions.
• Promoting industrial symbiosis and collaborative relationships among diverse sectors.
• Achieving substantial reductions in emissions and resource consumption.
• Engaging with stakeholders, partners, and the community to drive awareness and support for sustainable practices.

Website: https://hurricane-hub.eu/

HURRICANE is funded under the call HORIZON-CL4-2023-TWIN-TRANSITION-01-37 within Horizon Europe, the European Union’s framework programme for research and innovation (grant agreement no.: 10113849).