Iron as a zero-carbon sustainable fuel for industrial heat and remote power

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On demand access to clean and reliable energy is essential to Canada meeting its climate change targets and transitioning to a prosperous low-carbon society. The Alternative Fuels Laboratory at McGill has led an international research and development effort focused on the use of metals, specifically iron and aluminum, as carbon-free and recyclable fuels for industrial heating and remote power applications. Through a previous NSERC Strategic grant, our team developed a novel iron-fuelled burner and product collection system, and filed a provisional patent application to protect this intellectual property. We have proven that we can efficiently stabilize a turbulent pure-iron flame and effectively capture the iron-oxide combustion products without measurable loss or pollutant emissions, while generating high-grade heat. The next step is to demonstrate that the fuel can be burned, captured, recycled, and burned again, closing the loop to prove that iron can be a sustainable circular fuel without loss over many cycles. To achieve these goals, this project brings together five co-investigators at McGill and four industrial partners: Rio Tinto Iron & Titanium, Hoeganaes Corp., Tata Steel, and AgnicoEagle. Rio Tinto, Tata Steel, and Hoeganaes are iron powder suppliers looking for new markets for their iron powders as a recyclable fuel, and will supply iron powder and recycle the burned iron oxide products, to demonstrate that the iron fuel can be used in a closed loop. AgnicoEagle operates remote mines and has identified iron fuel as a potential option for remote heat and power that will enable them to achieve their decarbonization targets; within this project they will help with the life-cycle and techno-economic analyses to build the business case for further investment. Through these collaborations, the knowledge generated in the project will be effectively transferred to key decision makers that can help us mobilize the knowledge and transfer the technology. We plan to scale-up the technology through a spinoff company that will commercialize iron as a carbon-free fuel for Canadian industry over the next 5 years, bringing economic and environmental benefits to our partners and Canadian society.