Decarbonizing steel production is an important part of climate protection. For that reason, in April 2023, the voestalpine Supervisory Board approved a further EUR 1.5 billion for the conversion at its Austrian steel production sites. This allows construction in Donawitz and Linz to start in 2024. Commissioning the EAF during the hybrid phase of greentec steel would avoid around 3 to 4 million tons of CO2 emissions per year starting in 2027. Reducing Austria’s annual emissions by almost 5% makes greentec steel the country’s largest climate protection program.
However, only a radical technological transformation will allow us to significantly reduce CO2 emissions further.
Specifically, we are gradually converting from the coal-based blast furnace route to a electric steel route powered by green electricity. In addition to scrap, the main input materials are liquid pig iron and hot briquetted iron (HBI) produced in a direct reduction plant. This direct reduction is a key bridging technology for decarbonizing steel production. It uses natural gas instead of coal and coke to reduce iron ore to iron, which reduces CO2 emissions. This hybrid technology could significantly reduce CO2 emissions from steel production in Linz and Donawitz by around 30%. As of 2030, voestalpine plans to replace another blast furnace at each of the sites in Linz and Donawitz.
In the long term, we plan to gradually increase the use of green electricity to achieve carbon-neutral steel production by 2050. We have been researching the necessary technologies for many years, e.g., at the pilot facility for producing green hydrogen at the Linz site. Here, research is being undertaken into producing green hydrogen on an industrial scale, and its possible application in the various stages of steel production.
At the same time, our scientists in Donawitz are researching a technology for the direct production of steel from iron ore as part of the “SuSteel” (Sustainable Steel) project, and a hydrogen-based fine-ore reduction (Hyfor) process in another project.
But one thing is already certain today: the basic prerequisite for switching to hydrogen-based steelmaking is the availability of sufficient quantities of green electricity at commercially realistic prices.
The greentec steel campaign brand has been designed as the umbrella under which this comprehensive decarbonization strategy to meet the EU’s climate goals will be communicated. It brings together all voestalpine activities & innovations leading to carbon neutral steel production by 2050.
As an international group, we face a wide range of issues and target groups, and the challenges related to reducing our CO2 emissions will accompany us for decades. The greentec steel brand will help us communicate our messages clearly, transparently, and recognizably to our various target groups: customers and policy makers, shareholders, the media, employees, and the general public.
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.
