Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine has announced that it has managed to produce the world’s first high quality “green” wire rod from hydrogen-reduced pure iron and scrap at its Donawitz plant.
According to its statement, the company has processed carbon-reduced steel to produce wire rod, which impresses with its hardness and wear-resistance.
“We have already made a successful start on our path to green steel production and are advancing quickly with construction of the two arc furnaces powered by green electricity in Linz and Donawitz. Parallel to this, we are researching various breakthrough technologies with partners from industry and science. The first-ever melting of hydrogen-reduced pure iron and its further processing into high-quality wire rod is a historic milestone,” Herbert Eibensteiner, CEO of Voestalpine AG, commented.
Voestalpine will cut its carbon emissions by up to 30 percent from 2027 by replacing its blast furnaces with electric arc furnaces powered by green energy. The company aims to become carbon-neutral by 2050 and is making investments in line with its plans.