voestalpine and VERBUND launch expanded H2FUTURE hydrogen pilot plant in Linz
The H2FUTURE research project at the voestalpine site in Linz is entering the next expansion stage. Enhancements to the pilot plant made over the past three years allow the two project partners — voestalpine and Austrian energy company VERBUND — to conduct research not only into production but also the compression, purification, storage, loading and further use of green hydrogen. To this end, the hydrogen pilot plant at the voestalpine site, which went into operation in 2019, will be expanded to include a compression and purification unit as well as five hydrogen storage tanks. The expansion costs amount to €16.4 million.
In addition to production of green hydrogen, the H2FUTURE follow-up project is now focusing on its treatment and provision for industrial applications, particularly with regard to purity and pressure. Specifically, the hydrogen generated by electrolysis is compressed, purified, and temporarily stored in the expanded H2FUTURE plant. Four of the five new hydrogen storage tanks will balance out the fluctuating levels of hydrogen production and consumption, thus contributing to security of supply. From the end of 2027, the fifth (shipping) tank will directly supply the HY4SMELT industrial-scale demonstration plant at Linz with hydrogen via a 1km-long pipeline.
Herbert Eibensteiner, CEO of voestalpine, said, “With greentec steel we have a clear strategy to transform our steel production. In the first half of 2027, one green electricity-powered electric arc furnace at each of the Linz and Donawitz sites will go into operation, enabling us to save up to 30% of our CO2 emissions by 2029 as a first step. In the long term, we aim to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions in steel production by 2050. Hydrogen will play an important role in this process. Together with our partner VERBUND, we will gain further crucial insights thanks to this research infrastructure, the only one of its kind in Europe.”
In addition, the hydrogen can be compressed to up to 500 bar using high-pressure compressors and filled into trailers for road transport. As a result, it will also be available to external customers and other research and industrial projects, such as the SuSteel research project at the voestalpine site in Donawitz (which sources hydrogen supplied from a trailer provided by research partner K1-MET).
“With H2FUTURE, together with our long-standing partner voestalpine we are implementing an important reference project for the development of a green hydrogen economy. On an industrial scale, the project shows how renewable electricity can be converted into green hydrogen and harnessed for specific industrial applications. Thus, H2FUTURE directly supports our role as a leading producer of renewable energy and as a partner for decarbonising energy-intensive industries,” said Michael Strugl, CEO of VERBUND.
The first functional tests in the H2FUTURE follow-up project have already been launched. First research results are expected by the end of 2026. The project will end in December 2030 and will be funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism.