Search EN voestalpine AG HYBRID CONCEPT BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGIES FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS NEWS 1 2 Prev Next H2FUTURE “Green” hydrogen is the hope for the future of decarbonization The EU-funded H2FUTURE project is researching into whether green hydrogen produced on an industrial scale can replace fossil fuels in steel production over the long term. To this end, what is currently the largest pilot facility for the production of hydrogen in the steel industry has been built at the voestalpine site in Linz. The project partners are VERBUND, Siemens, Austrian Power Grid, K1-MET, and TNO. The electrolyzer has a capacity of over 6 megawatts and is regarded as the most effective and advanced facility of its type. It will be used to test whether the technology deployed to produce green hydrogen is suitable for use on an industrial scale. The most effective and advanced electrolyzer (PEM technology) for the carbon-neutral generation of green hydrogen in the steel industry & demonstration project for industrial scale production Sufficient renewable energy at competitive prices is a precondition for implementation on an industrial scale Commissioned 2019 Test programs are running successfully Read more on our blog H2FUTURE capacity 0 m³/h H2 or 6 MW Project volume € 0 million Funding by the European Union H2FUTURE project partners VERBUND Siemens Austrian Power Grid K1-MET TNO Next SuSteel At the heart of the SuSteel project is an innovative hydrogen plasma technology A testing facility is currently being established at the Donawitz site in Styria as part of the SuSteel (Sustainable Steelmaking) project. Here research will be undertaken into the carbon-neutral production of crude steel in a single process step using a novel hydrogen plasma technology. In future, the facility will operate a type of electric arc furnace to produce steel directly, avoiding the crude steel stage by using hydrogen plasma to reduce ores. The advantage is that climate-neutral water vapor is the only end product, allowing CO2 emissions to be avoided completely. This basic research project being run by the K1-MET metallurgy competence center has a very long-term implementation timeframe. The project involves voestalpine Stahl GmbH, voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH, and the Montanuniversität Leoben. Reduction of ores using novel hydrogen plasma technology CO2 emissions could be completely avoided Basic research project Testing plant at the site in Donawitz currently in the commissioning phase; start of testing program: Q2 SuSteel project partners voestalpine Stahl GmbH voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH Montanuniversität Leoben K1-MET Hyfor The Hyfor research project, involving Primetals Technologies, voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH, the Montanuniversität Leoben, and K1-MET, is also based at the site in Donawitz. The project is building a pilot plant to reduce iron ore in a fluid state using hydrogen. In an industrial-scale plant, the resulting hot sponge iron would then be fed into an electric arc furnace, or used to produce hot briquetted iron (HBI). The research project is designed to establish the base data for later conversion to an industrial plant. Using hydrogen to reduce iron ore FFG & COMET-funded research project Construction & commissioning of the pilot facility at the Donawitz site planned for 2021 Objective: Base data for later conversion to an industrial plant Hyfor project partners Primetals Technologies voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH Montanuniversität Leoben K1-MET Pyrolysis of natural gas As part of an industrial consortium headed by RAG Austria, the Steel Division is helping the Montanuniversität Leoben to evaluate technologies used in the so-called pyrolysis of natural gas. This process splits methane, the primary component of natural gas, into hydrogen and solid carbon, and is a method of generating hydrogen without producing carbon dioxide. At the same time, the residual carbon is a valuable industrial raw material which can be processed for use in products such as electrodes in Li-ion batteries or electric arc furnaces. Evaluation of technologies for pyrolysis: splitting methane, primary component of natural gas, into hydrogen and solid carbon Enables the carbon-neutral generation of hydrogen Carbon = industrial raw material (e.g., for electrodes in Li-ion batteries or producing electrical steel) Montanuniversität Leoben is currently analyzing the existing processes in their testing facilities The results will be used to select one technology & decide on construction of own demonstration facility (Project duration: 2022-2027) Industrial consortium RAG Austria voestalpine Stahl GmbH Montanuniversität Leoben Primemetals Technologies Wien Energie Next Underground Sun Storage 2030 Research facility Rubensdorf, Copyright: RAG Austria AG Together with partners from industry and science, voestalpine is researching into the seasonal, underground storage of large volumes of green hydrogen as part of the Underground Sun Storage 2030 project led by RAG Austria. During the summer months, electrolysis is used to convert solar energy into pure hydrogen in a climate neutral process, with the hydrogen subsequently stored in former natural gas reservoirs for the winter months. A research facility will be built at a former natural gas reservoir in Gampern (Upper Austria) where the relevant testing will be conducted to 2025. voestalpine is also extensively investigating the possible uses for the stored hydrogen in energy-intensive industrial processes. This unique project, the only one of its kind in the world, is receiving funding as part of the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund’s energy research program. Electrolysis is used to convert solar energy into pure hydrogen Storage in former natural gas reservoirs for the winter months Planned construction of a research facility at a former natural gas reservoir in Gampern (Upper Austria) Investigation of the possible uses in energy-intensive industrial processes WIVA P&G funded research project Read more (German only) Project Website Blog articles on our corporate blog Golden paths to green steel Our path to a green future Reducing step by step by step H2FUTURE: Valuable findings after two years of testing greentec steel has many faces Next USS2030 Industrial project partners RAG Austria AG Energie AG EVN AG VERBUND axiom Next greentec steel greentec steel embodies voestalpine’s claim to high quality and advanced technology, as well as its focus on sustainability, because our “green” steel will meet the most stringent quality standards and offer customers high-tech solutions tailored to their individual requirements. At the same time, with its research activities, technologies, innovations and steel’s vital role in a sustainable world voestalpine is making an important contribution to achieving the climate goals over the long term. Datenschutz voestalpine-Konzern voestalpine AG Produkte Corporate Blog © 2021 voestalpine AG voestalpine-Straße 1, 4020 T. +43/50304/15-0 Impressum Click on "Accept all Cookies" or assign your own individual settings. All information about data protection is available under data protection. Accept all cookies Accept only essential cookies Individual settings