Hydrogen Plasma Reduction for Steelmaking and Circular Economy

Science Communication

H2PlasmaRed co-founded vodcast episodes

"Why critical mineral supply chains have become battlefields" [Jones & Poliscanova, RM #1]

lean energy, electric mobility, digital/AI technologies, and modern defense capabilities all rely on one foundation: critical minerals. Hosted by Peter Tom Jones (Director SIM² KU Leuven) and Julia Poliscanova (Senior Director at T&E), the podcast brings together leading voices from around the world. Whether you’re a policymaker, researcher, investor, or simply curious, RAW MATTERS is your gateway to the critical minerals debate in a world where critical mineral supply chains are becoming battlefields.

"Is there still a future for green steel in Europe?" [Jones, Blanpain, Aiello, RM #2]

Steel might not always make the list of “critical raw materials,” but it’s absolutely critical to Europe’s future – supporting everything from wind turbines to transport infrastructure. Without steel, no civilisation! In this Special Raw Matters Episode on “The future of green steelmaking in Europe”, the speakers unpack why decarbonising steel matters so much, and what it will take to get there.

“ETS, an old Nokia phone in a smart phone world?” [Jos Delbeke, RM #4]

 Is ETS “an old Nokia phone in a smart phone world?” (*) That’s the question posed to Jos Delbeke in this new Raw Matters episode by host Peter Tom Jones and guest co-host Bart Blanpain. And what needs to happen to the ETS system to allow Europe’s transition to green steelmaking to come to fruition. As one of the old expressions in English goes: “Hear it straight from the horse’s mouth”. Given Jos Delbeke is Europe’s most Senior Climate Official and chief architect of the ETS system, his opinions and guidance DO MATTER to the EC.

“Why does the ESG debate always forget the worker’s perspective?” [Kirton-Darling, RM #5]

Kirton-Darling provides some shocking numbers about the on-going industrial decline in Europe (100,000 jobs lost in the EU steel industry since 2008, 50,000 jobs lost in the German car industry in 2025 alone). In this episode we speak at length about the problematic worker’s situation in Asian-owned battery factories in Hungary and what is needed to rectify these situations. JKD is clear about the IAA and the “Made in Europe” narrative: “Made in Europe must mean made with quality, made with responsibility, and made with the people of Europe at its heart.”

  1. Effect of Furnace Parameters on Optical Emission Spectra of Hematite Reduction by Hydrogen Plasma (04/2025) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11663-025-03552-5
  2. In Situ Observation of Sustainable Hematite–Magnetite–Wüstite–Iron Hydrogen Plasma Reduction (06/2025) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11663-025-03610-y
  3. Kinetic Modeling of Hematite Reduction by Hydrogen Plasma Smelting Reduction in Laboratory-Scale (06-07/2025), https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/3050/1/012007
  4. Optimization Based Experimental Design of Metal–Slag Experiments in Hydrogen Plasma Smelting Reduction Process (06-07/2025), https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/3050/1/012009
  5. Puppet Strings of Hydrogen Plasma Reduction of Iron Ores: The Impact of Process Parameters on Plasma Properties and Reduction Kinetics (07/2025), https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11663-025-03698-2
  6. Thermodynamic-kinetic modeling of hematite reduction in a laboratory-scale hydrogen plasma smelting reduction furnace (01-08/2026), https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000925092600730X
  1. IMMC 2024 19-21 Sept 2024, Istanbul (Turkey) – [Henri Pauna OULU, oral presentation] Carbon neutral metals and fossil-free steel – Research towards sustainability at the University of OULU
  2. SVS25 8-11 Apr 2025, Leuven (Belgium) – [Ekinsu Akdogan KUL, poster & abstract] A review on environmental and technoeconomic assessments of natural gas based direct reduced iron production path
  3. SAM19 2025 6-7 May 2025, Madrid (Spain) – [Ekinsu Akdogan KUL, oral presentation] A review on environmental and economic assessments of emerging steel manufacturing technologies
  4. ESTEP Spring Dissemination Event 2025 5-6 June 2025, Krakow (Poland) – [Henri Pauna OULU, oral presentation] Overview of the first 1½ years of the Horizon EU project H2PlasmaRed
  5. EASES 2025 11-13 June 2025, Ljubljana, Slovenia – [Areej Javed OULU, oral presentation] Kinetic Modelling of Hematite Reduction by Hydrogen Plasma Smelting Reduction in laboratory scale
  6. PhD day 2025 5 June 2025, Leuven, Belgium – [Ekinsu Akdogan KUL, Poster] – Environmental, technoeconomic and integrated assessments of emerging decarbonization strategies for steel manufacturing
  7. ICS 2025 2-5 Jul 2025, Seoul (Korea) – [Henri Pauna OULU, Abstract] Characterization of high-temperature hydrogen technologies at the University of Oulu – direct reduced iron melting, plasmas, and flames
  8. ICS 2025 2-5 Jul 2025, Seoul (Korea) – [Henna-Riikka Putaala OULU, Abstract] Effect of dust on optical emission spectra of hydrogen plasma reduction
  9. LCM conference 2025 9-12 sept 2025, Palermo (Italy) – [Ekinsu Akdogan KUL, poster] Integrating Prospective LCA and TEA: Challenges, Proposed Solutions, and Pathways for Sustainable Design and Decision-Making
  10. H2STEEL – 22-23 Sept 2025 (online) [Ekinsu Akdogan KUL, presentation] Workshop: Towards Circular and Climate-Friendly Steel: Assessing Energy, Recycling, and Innovation Pathways
  11. ESTAD 2025 6-9 Oct 2025, Verona (Italy) – [Cameron Quick K1-MET, Abstract] – Challenges and solutions for process characterisation of hydrogen plasma smelting reduction (HPSR) at pilot scale and beyond

Upcoming:

  1. H2-research day – 10 Feb 2026, OULU (Finland) – [H.-R. Putaala, A. Javed, posters]
  2. ESEE 2026 – 27-29 March 2026, Hengyang (China) – [Ekinsu Akdogan KU LEUVEN, poster] Decarbonizing steel production: How to calculate future CAPEX and OPEX of hydrogen plasma smelting reduction (HPSR) process
  3. Aistech 2026 4-6 May 2026, Tennessee (USA) – [Akhilesh Swarnakar ESTEP, abstract] Hydrogen Plasma Smelting Reduction Technology: One example of the clean steel partnership success stories
  4. CIMTEC 2026 – 15-19 June 2026 Perugia, Italy – [Annelies Malfliet, abstract] Refractory-slag interaction in hydrogen plasma steelmaking: A study on phosphate-bonded MgO castables
  5. EUROSLAG 2026 – 16-18 June 2026 Lulea, Sweden – [Alexander Jelinek, abstract] Influence of slag composition on Hydrogen Plasma Smelting Reduction kinetics with focus on residual material recycling
  6. H2STEEL 2026– 22-23 Sept 2025, online – [Ekinsu Akdogan KUL, presentation] Workshop: Towards Circular and Climate-Friendly Steel: Assessing Energy, Recycling, and Innovation Pathways

D7.1 First Data Management Plan

D1.2 Baseline definitions for HPSR in steelmaking and sidestream treatment

D3.2 Report on metallization and process time optimization at lab-scale

D2.3 Report on the experimental model system development

D5.1 First report on technological performance

D7.2 Updated data management plan

  • H2PlasmaRed newsletter – 1st issue June 2025 (READ)
  • Press Release: New podcast launched on the global geopolitics of CRMs – 2nd May 2026 (READ)