voestalpine has successfully produced what it claims to be the world’s first hydrogen-based rail at the company’s Donawitz site in Austria.
The “green” rail was crafted using a blend of scrap and hydrogen-reduced pure iron from the HYFOR pilot plant in Donawitz.
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The raw material underwent melting in voestalpine’s TechMet research steelworks, also located in Donawitz, and subsequently processed into the finished rail product at the neighbouring rail rolling mill.
The first rail, which boasts the same high hardness and wear resistance as all other rails produced by voestalpine, has been installed at Linz Central Station.
voestalpine CEO Herbert Eibensteiner said: “The production of the world’s first hydrogen-reduced rail at our Donawitz site is a historic milestone. With greentec steel, we are pursuing a clear phased plan to transform our steel production.
“Starting in 2027, one green-powered electric arc furnace will be put into operation at each of our sites in Linz and Donawitz. Our long-term goal by 2050 is net zero CO2 emissions in steel production. To this end, we are already conducting research into several new processes and investing in pilot and presentation projects that demonstrate new steel production possibilities.”
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By GlobalDataHydrogen-based steel production process utilises hydrogen, ideally sourced from renewable energy, to extract oxygen from iron ore.
This method stands out for its eco-friendly byproduct, water vapour, eliminating the CO2 emissions typically associated with traditional steel production.
voestalpine board member and head of the metal engineering division Franz Kainersdorfer said: “The production of high-quality, CO2-reduced steel grades is one of the biggest technological challenges in the transition to green steel production.
“As the world’s leading provider of complete railway infrastructure systems, our mission is to create sustainable and trendsetting solutions for the mobility of tomorrow.”
