By 2050, Linz-based voestalpine’s steel production should be free of CO2 emissions. From 2027, the electric arc furnaces, which are powered by electricity from renewable sources, will go into operation in Linz and Donawitz. At the same time, research projects are running that deal with the switch to more sustainable steel production.
The steel and technology group has now announced the success of a project in the “Technikum Metallurgie” steelworks in Donawitz, which opened in 2019. There, voestalpine is researching the CO2-reduced production of high-performance steels and their further processing.
For the first time, the primary material – hydrogen-reduced pure iron and scrap – was melted and further processed into high-quality wire rod. The melting was carried out using electricity from renewable energies. The wire is needed, for example, to make chains or springs.
Research project “Hyfor”
The CEO of voestalpine, Herbert Eibensteiner, speaks of a “historical milestone”. The project called “Hyfor” is being worked on together with Primetals Technologies, the Montanuniversität Leoben and K1-MET. The aim is to investigate the reduction of fine iron ore using hydrogen.
In the future, the resulting hot sponge iron could be melted in an electric arc furnace or used to produce hot briquetted sponge iron. 35 companies currently purchase “green” steel from voestalpine.
Author
Verena Mitterlechner
Verena Mitterlechner
