Breakthrough technologies - greentec steel

H2FUTURE

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

H2FUTURE project partners

VERBUND

https://www.verbund.com/en-at

Siemens

https://www.siemens.com/global/en.html

Austrian Power Grid

https://www.apg.at/en/

K1-MET

https://www.k1-met.com/?L=3

TNO

https://www.tno.nl/en/

SuSteel

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

https://www.voestalpine.com/stahl/en

voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH

https://www.voestalpine.com/stahldonawitz/en/

Montanuniversität Leoben

https://www.unileoben.ac.at/en/

K1-MET

https://www.k1-met.com/?L=3

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

https://www.primetals.com/

voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH

https://www.voestalpine.com/stahldonawitz/en/

Montanuniversität Leoben

https://www.unileoben.ac.at/en/

K1-MET

https://www.k1-met.com/?L=3

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

https://www.rag-austria.at/en/

voestalpine Stahl GmbH

https://www.voestalpine.com/stahl/en

Montanuniversität Leoben

https://www.unileoben.ac.at/en/

Primetals Technologies

https://www.primetals.com/

Wien Energie

https://www.wienenergie.at/en/

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

Carbon Cycle Economy Demonstration (C-CED)

Copyright: RAG / Karin Lohberger Photography

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. At a depth of about 800 meters, microorganisms indigenous to the site, known as archaea, combine the two gases to produce green methane, the main component of natural gas. This methanation process can take about four weeks. Additional source materials can be pumped in during this process. Like natural gas, the sustainably produced methane is extracted when needed and can be used in industrial processes or to produce electricity. CO₂ is again generated and the cycle begins anew.

CO₂ from industrial processes is captured
CO₂ is stored together with sustainably produced hydrogen in natural underground storage sites
Microbiological processes produce green methane gas
The methane is used for industrial processes or to produce electric power