The MaxH2DR project (Maximizing Hydrogen Enrichment in Direct Reduction Plants), conducted by the VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut (BFI) in collaboration with nine partners, has been named "National Winner Germany" of the Net-Zero Industries Award 2024 in the category of "Outstanding Projects." The awards ceremony took place on November 18 during the COP29 Climate Conference in Baku.
Net-Zero Industries, launched in 2022, is the first global initiative focused on developing and implementing competitive solutions for an emissions-free industrial future. The initiative, led by Austria and Australia, works in collaboration with Canada, China, the European Commission, Finland, Germany, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and aims to complete at least 50 large-scale demonstration projects worldwide by 2030.
Direct reduction (DR) with hydrogen enrichment is a key technology for decarbonizing integrated steel plants. While natural gas-fired DR processes are well-established in the industry, particularly outside Europe, there is little experience with hydrogen enrichment levels exceeding 80%. MaxH2DR addresses this gap by providing essential knowledge and data on reduction processes.
Project partners
BFI is collaborating with its partners, including Ruhr-University Bochum, Université de Lorraine, Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento Sant’Anna, Åbo Akademi, Tata Steel Nederland Technology, Università degli Studi di Salerno, Sieć Badawcza Łukasiewicz, CiaoTech, and the European Steel Technology Platform (ESTEP), to drive this project forward.
