The technology company RIFT has chosen the Port of Rotterdam as the location for the development of a commercial production plant for circular iron fuel. To this end, a reservation agreement has been signed for a plot in Margriethaven, on the Maasvlakte.
Through this agreement, the Port of Rotterdam Authority makes an undeveloped plot of land available for the development of the project.
In the electrified production plant, iron oxide (rust) is converted into circular iron fuel with a low CO? footprint using hydrogen. This fuel can be used by industrial customers to generate heat and steam, with no direct CO? emissions at the point of use. The used fuel is subsequently reprocessed centrally. RIFT is a company that is scaling up this technology and developing it specifically for industrial thermal processes that are difficult to make sustainable through electrification alone.
RIFT considers Rotterdam to be the ideal place to take the step from development to implementation.
Mark Verhagen, CEO of RIFT, stated that “Rotterdam brings together essential elements: access to hydrogen, industrial demand, and a strong network of partners. Thanks to the support of InnovationQuarter, we are connecting production, infrastructure, and application in this city, and taking the next step towards its realization.”
In the coming months, RIFT and the Port of Rotterdam Authority will collaborate on the development and integration of the facilities. RIFT expects the production plant to be operational around 2031.
