IEA Intertask 52

The project is embedded in the Hydrogen Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP) of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The objective of the TCP is to advance global decarbonisation through the assessment and further development of sustainable hydrogen technologies.

The new Intertask 52, “Hydrogen for Iron and Steelmaking”, addresses the steel industry – one of the most emission-intensive sectors worldwide, accounting for approximately 7–9% of global CO₂ emissions and about 17% in Austria. The aim of the initiative is to analyse and internationally compare technological options and framework conditions for hydrogen-based steel production and to derive insights to inform national strategies.

Austria contributes expertise from national R&D projects (K1-MET, WIVA P&G) in the following areas:

• HYFOR (hydrogen-based fine-ore reduction)
• HPSR (hydrogen plasma smelting reduction)
• CCU technologies (for the valorisation of unavoidable CO₂ emissions)

The results from the projects are shared with the IEA network both through international task meetings and via technical reports, white papers, and publications. At the same time, the involvement of national stakeholders and close coordination with BMIMI and FFG ensure that international findings are systematically integrated into national industrial and climate policy decision-making processes, and that Austrian priorities are duly considered in the global transformation process.

IEA Intertask 52 focuses on the following main objectives:

• Contribution to the global decarbonisation of the steel sector through the assessment and further development of sustainable hydrogen-based steel production technologies
• Analysis of technological options, supply chains, market mechanisms, and policy frameworks for hydrogen-based steelmaking processes
• Scientific assessment of hydrogen-based steel production processes, including system integration, as well as analysis of economic and location-specific impacts
• Integration of Austrian expertise from national R&D activities into the international IEA task network and utilisation of international insights to inform national strategies