Breakthrough technologies

The research projects cover the entire possible spectrum and include both Carbon Direct Avoidance (CDA) projects, i.e., projects that research new technical possibilities to avoid producing CO₂, and Carbon Capture Utilization (CCU) projects aimed at converting CO₂ into new storable products. Currently, our research is primarily focused on CDA projects, namely steel production processes with no carbon emissions. These include projects such as the testing facilities for carbon-neutral steel production which uses hydrogen to directly reduce iron ore (sustainable steelmaking) at the Donawitz site, and the H2FUTURE hydrogen pilot facility at the Linz site.

The HYFOR pilot plant for hydrogen-based fine ore reduction (HYFOR) was put into operation at the voestalpine site in Donawitz in April 2021. The research project by Primetals Technologies, voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH, the University of Leoben and K1-MET has since delivered important results. As part of this research project, we produced the world's first high-quality CO₂-reduced quality wire rod from hydrogen-reduced pure iron and scrap in spring 2024. In addition to scrap, the HYFOR material was also the starting material for the world's first hydrogen-based rail. The "green" rail was laid at Linz Central Station in July 2025.

• Reduction of fine iron ore using hydrogen
• Production of the world's first high-quality "green" wire rod from hydrogen-reduced pure iron and scrap
• Goal: data basis for the subsequent construction of a large-scale plant

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 novel hydrogen plasma technology. In a form of electric arc furnace, steel is produced using hydrogen plasma to reduce ores, omitting the pig iron stage. 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.

• Reducing ores using innovative hydrogen plasma technology
• CO₂ emissions could be completely avoided
• International showcase project

The aim of the ZEUS project (Zero Emissions throUgh Sectorcoupling) is to establish and provide a cross-sectoral demonstration of a climate-neutral process chain, encompassing all elements from the production and treatment of green hydrogen to capturing carbon from industrial emissions and its subsequent conversion into valuable, storable products (CCU research project). To achieve this, various pilot plants are being looked into in an industrial environment (H2FUTURE plant, carbon capturing, catalytic methanation, CO₂ electrolysis) and interconnected to create holistic process chains.

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. 

The „Carbon Cycle Economy Demonstration“ (C-CED) project is looking into creating a carbon cycle. CO₂ generated in voestalpine industrial plants (which is present in the waste gas streams in varying concentrations) will be captured. Concentrated, compressed CO₂ is pumped together with sustainably produced hydrogen into natural underground storage sites whose original natural gas content has been depleted.