$150M carbon capture project planned for U.S. Steel plant in Gary
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Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel Corp. and CarbonFree, a carbon capture company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, are planning a $150 million carbon capture project at U.S. Steel’s Gary Works.
The companies say the SkyCycle plant will have the capacity to capture and mineralize up to 50,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, and the project will add about 50 full-time jobs.
The plant is being described as a first-of-its-kind project that will have the ability to be expanded over the years as needed. The initial amount of emissions that could be captured, U.S. Steel said, is equal to nearly 12,000 passenger cars.
U.S. Steel spokesperson Andrew Fulton told Inside INdiana Business that CarbonFree will be making the $150 million, while U.S. Steel will provide the utility, sewer and data connections needed for the plant, as well as connecting its blast furnace gas header system to the plant.
The SkyCycle process captures carbon emissions from industrial sources before they enter the atmosphere and converts them into a carbon-neutral version of calcium carbonate, which is used in the creation of paper and plastics, as well as personal care, paint, and building products.
Fulton said calcium carbonate can be stored in an environmentally conscious manner.
“Calcium carbonate can be stored in a variety of locations, including abandoned quarries and mines, enabling the land to be restored,” Fulton said. “Calcium carbonate is a stable solid, so SkyCycle does not require long pipelines for transport or wells for storage.”
The system will also use slag produced by Gary Works’ blast furnace operation as part of the calcium carbonate production process.
U.S. Steel said the project aligns with its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
“Innovating to capture carbon at an integrated mill is the latest example of how steel is enabling a more sustainable future,” Chief Manufacturing Officer Scott Buckiso said in a news release. “Moreover, U. S. Steel has a history of ‘firsts’ that we’re confidently building on. Using SkyCycle technology for the first project of its kind in North America should benefit the community for generations to come.”
Construction on the SkyCycle plant is expected to begin as early as this summer, with operations slated to begin in 2026, and the agreement between the partners will be in place for 20 years after the in-service date.