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 H2FUTURE hydrogen pilot facility has been operating at the site in Linz since 2019. With the commissioning of what is currently the world’s largest pilot plant for the carbon-neutral production of hydrogen, we are setting an international milestone in the advancement of new energy supply options. Since its launch, the test facility has successfully completed a number of test programs. Now, our focus lies on building on the knowledge obtained from research conducted to date, first and foremost in terms of hydrogen quality.

• Hydrogen pilot facility for the production and use of “green” hydrogen on an industrial scale
• Further research into the compression and purification of hydrogen
• Participation in the balancing energy market to compensate for fluctuations in the electricity grid

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 Hyfor research project, involving Primetals Technologies, voestalpine Stahl Donawitz GmbH, the Montanuniversität Leoben, and K1-MET, is also based at the site in Donawitz. 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. The hydrogen-reduced pure iron was produced in the Hyfor pilot plant, while the historical melting process took place in the Group's own Technikum Metallurgie research facility, a unique complete steel mill on a small scale. The low-CO₂ steel was further processed in the wire rod mill into rolling bearing steel, which is characterized by its particular hardness and wear resistance. 

• Using hydrogen to reduce iron ore fines
• Production of the world's first high-quality “green” wire rod from hydrogen-reduced pure iron and scrap 
• Objective: Base data for later conversion to an industrial plant

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.