Austrian steel group Voestalpine has developed an industrial-scale process for carbon-neutral steel production without the use of fossil carbon and secured the intellectual property rights to the process from the European Patent Office.
Donawitz Daemmerung voestalpine. Credit: Voestalpine
Credit: Voestalpine
As a global benchmark in climate and environmental protection, voestalpine is conscious of the ecological and social responsibility which comes with its Europe-wide intellectual property rights to climate-neutral steel manufacturing.
"We are convinced that transforming Europe’s steel industry is only possible when we all pull together. We are focusing on cooperation and dialogue with all stakeholders," said Herbert Eibensteiner, Chairman of the Management Board of Voestalpine AG.
The process developed by Voestalpine uses green hydrogen and biogas in the direct reduction process. In addition to carbon neutrality, the process offers other advantages. For example, the biogenic carbon allows carburisation of the sponge iron, for efficient melting in the electric arc furnace.
The steel and technology group will grant patent licenses for the carbon-neutral pre-material used in steel production and plans to work with the license holders to transfer the necessary know-how.
Voestalpine has an ambitious plan to decarbonise steel production. As a first step, it plans to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% until 2030 using hybrid technology and electric arc furnaces.
Its long-term goal is to then increase the share of green electricity and hydrogen used in the steel production process, together with climate-neutral pre-materials DRI and HBI, to achieve the goal of carbon-neutral steel production by 2050.
Voestalpine is continuously investing in the research & development of new product solutions and processes. The Group has already registered more than 3,200 patents for technologies and products, and current research is focused on digitisation and sustainability.
In its business segments, Voestalpine is a globally operating steel and technology group with some 500 companies and locations in more than 50 countries on all five continents.
With its products and system solutions, it is a major partner to the automotive and consumer goods industries as well as the aerospace and oil & gas industries; voestalpine is also the market leader in railway systems, tool steel, and special sections.
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