The US decarbonization technology company Utility Global (Utility) has successfully produced hydrogen using steel plant off-gas (blast furnace gas) without electricity. This innovative technology is known as the H2Gen system.

The H2Gen system was tested at a pilot plant in 2022, achieving 99% hydrogen purity and maintaining 99.7% operational stability. It operated for over 3,000 hours at the steel plant. However, specific details regarding hydrogen purity and production capacity have not been disclosed.

Hydrogen plays a crucial role in decarbonizing steelmaking. However, its high production costs and the limitations of renewable energy supply present significant challenges to its widespread adoption. This system is the first to utilize blast furnace gas for hydrogen production, making it a commercially viable solution for steel manufacturing.