As part of H2FUTURE-Follow-Up, previous research activities on hydrogen production are being systematically continued with regard to the quality characteristics of purity and pressure. The hydrogen is stored in the newly constructed storage tanks until it is loaded and reused. Preparations for the plant expansion have already been underway for two years and the systems are currently being installed. Functional tests will begin in January 2026 and the first research results are expected at the end of 2026. The project ends in December 2029.
Together with VERBUND, we are further expanding H2FUTURE, one of the world’s longest-operating PEM electrolysis plants, at the Linz site. The expansion includes the planning, installation and operation of a system for compressing and purifying the hydrogen produced in the PEM electrolyzer. For the supply of R&D pilot plants in steel production as well as other demanding applications with green hydrogen. The plant, which was commissioned in 2019 as the world’s largest hydrogen pilot project at the time, will be expanded to include a compression and purification system and five hydrogen storage tanks.
With greentec steel, we have an ambitious and feasible step-by-step plan to make our contribution to achieving the climate targets. From 2027, we as a Group plan to replace two blast furnaces with two EAFs as a first step. From 2030, we plan to replace two further blast furnaces in Linz and Donawitz and invest in a further EAF in Linz. In order to achieve the goal of steel production with net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, the Group is already researching several new processes and investing in pilot projects that demonstrate new approaches to steel production. These include the H2FUTURE hydrogen pilot plant at the Linz site.
With the commissioning of the world’s largest pilot plant for the CO2-free production of hydrogen at the end of 2019, we set an international milestone in the development of new options for energy supply. Since the start of the test phase, not only have several hundred tons of green hydrogen been produced, but a large number of different test programs have also been completed. For example, a “stress test” confirmed the plant’s resilience in continuous operation and its ability to react to massive load changes within a very short time . Various scenarios were simulated, in particular to compensate for frequency fluctuations in the power grid. These arise either due to the irregular availability of renewable energies or due to different electricity requirements. This applies to both the external electricity grid and our internal grid.
The high-tech core of the plant, the 12 “stacks”, each consisting of 50 electrolysis cells, produce 1,200 cubic meters of green hydrogen per hour with a connected load of six megawatts. Electric current is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen: A voltage is applied to the electrodes of the electrolysis cells. The water breaks down at the anode into oxygen, hydrogen ions and two electrons. The hydrogen ions then pass through a membrane through which they can pass and are converted into hydrogen at the cathode using electrons.
The aim now is to further develop the system with regard to the quality characteristics of purity and pressure of the hydrogen produced so that it can be made available for a wide range of applications. To this end, the hydrogen pilot plant is being used in various research projects, such as the CCU project ZEUS.
Within the framework of our focus greentec steel, we provide an overview of our concrete steps on the way towards long-term green steel production and the innovative processes we are using on this way. We provide information about the challenges we face and the breakthrough technologies we are already researching today in order to achieve our goal of steel production with net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
Die voestalpine ist ein weltweit führender Stahl- und Technologiekonzern mit kombinierter Werkstoff- und Verarbeitungskompetenz. Die global tätige Unternehmensgruppe verfügt über rund 500 Konzerngesellschaften und -standorte in mehr als 50 Ländern auf allen fünf Kontinenten. Sie notiert seit 1995 an der Wiener Börse. Mit ihren Premium-Produkt- und Systemlösungen zählt sie zu den führenden Partnern der Automobil- und Hausgeräteindustrie sowie der Luftfahrt- und Öl- & Gasindustrie und ist darüber hinaus Weltmarktführer bei Bahninfrastruktursystemen, bei Werkzeugstahl und Spezialprofilen. Die voestalpine bekennt sich zu den globalen Klimazielen und verfolgt mit greentec steel einen klaren Plan zur Dekarbonisierung der Stahlproduktion.
