Rouge H2 Engineering AG is participating as a technology provider in the EU project H2Loop, which aims to decarbonise the steel industry. The company is providing a patented chemical looping process (CLH) that can produce hydrogen from metallurgical gases. Rouge H2 is supported by Ambartec AG, whose employees have experience with the iron oxide nuggets used in the process and the scaling of the technology.
The project is co-financed by the European Commission under the RFCS-BIG-TICKET programme and runs for four years. The aim is to demonstrate the technical feasibility and efficiency of the CLH process. The technology is intended to help reduce CO2 emissions in steel production while providing hydrogen for industrial applications.
A central component of the project is the construction of a pilot plant at the Acciaierie d’Italia steelworks in Taranto. The plant is currently under special administration and is the largest steelworks in Italy. At the most recent project meeting at the end of 2025, the partners were informed on site about the technical conditions that must be considered in the planning of the plant.
In addition to Rouge H2 and AMBARtec, three other partners are involved: the VDEh Institute for Applied Research (BFI), a German research centre with decades of experience in the steel industry, Acciaierie d’Italia as the operating site, and the Polytechnic University of Turin, which contributes its engineering expertise.
Rouge H2's chemical looping process uses metallurgical residual gases as a starting material for hydrogen production. Iron oxide nuggets are used as oxygen carriers, which are operated in a closed loop. The technology is intended to offer an energy-efficient and low-emission alternative to conventional processes.
