Patent granted!
A process has been developed by voestalpine for implementation on a large scale to support CO2-neutral steel production without using any fossil carbons and has been granted the respective industrial property rights by the European Patent Office. The patent is valid in all major European steel-producing countries. The patent covers the specific production of sponge iron (DRI or HBI) in the direct reduction process using green hydrogen and biogas.
The European climate goals have present the steel industry with profound technological challenges. Without new production technologies, the political objective of climate neutrality cannot be met by 2050. voestalpine, a company regarded as a global benchmark for climate and environmental protection, is also aware of its ecological and social responsibility with regard to the protection rights for climate-neutral steel production in Europe.
The process developed by voestalpine uses green hydrogen and biogas for direct reduction. The process features additional advantages in addition to CO2 neutrality. For example, biogenic carbon enables the carburization of sponge iron for efficient melting in the EAFs. voestalpine will issue patent licenses for the CO2-neutral primary material in steel production and plans to transfer know-how to the licensees.
In order to decarbonize steel production, voestalpine has developed an ambitious project called greentec steel. A hybrid technology involving the electric arc furnace will reduce CO2 emissions by around 30% by the year 2030. In order to achieve the goal of carbon-neutral production by 2050, voestalpine aims in the long term to gradually increase the use of green electricity and hydrogen as well as DRI or HBI as a climate-neutral input material in the steel production process.
voestalpine continuously invests in the research and development of new product solutions and processes. The work of more than 700 voestalpine employees in more than 70 companies worldwide has resulted in the continuous research, testing and marketing of countless products. The voestalpine Group has applied for more than 3,200 patents for technologies and products and is currently placing a great deal of emphasis on its research activities in the areas of digitalization and sustainability.