The international R&D project ReWhire – Re-using waste hydrogen for iron oxide reduction has been successfully approved. Within the project, RIFT and Evonik Antwerp will collaborate on an innovative application of hydrogen by-product for the production of iron fuel.

With ReWhire, the partners are taking an important step in the further development of Iron Fuel Technology: a technology designed to generate sustainable industrial heat through a circular iron fuel cycle. The Future supported the consortium in developing and submitting the subsidy application.

Why this project is needed

Industrial heat is one of the most challenging parts of the energy transition. Many industrial processes require high temperatures and cannot be easily or cost-effectively electrified. At the same time, access to affordable sustainable energy is constrained by grid congestion, infrastructure limitations and the cost of hydrogen.

RIFT develops a technology in which iron powder is used as a circular energy carrier. When combusted, iron powder releases heat and forms iron oxide. This iron oxide can then be converted back into iron fuel using hydrogen, allowing the cycle to start again. RIFT positions this technology as a route towards industrial heat without direct CO₂ emissions from combustion.

A key challenge for large-scale deployment is the cost of the hydrogen needed to convert iron oxide back into iron fuel. At the same time, industrial companies generate hydrogen-rich residual or by-product streams that are not always used at their highest value. ReWhire brings these two challenges together.

What ReWhire will develop

Within ReWhire, RIFT and Evonik will investigate and demonstrate how a hydrogen by-product from the chemical industry can be used in the production process for iron fuel.

The project focuses on making the existing iron fuel chain suitable for the use of a less pure hydrogen stream. To achieve this, the partners will work on two connected development tracks:

1. Adaptation of the reduction process: RIFT will develop and demonstrate how the existing process for converting iron oxide into iron fuel can operate with an alternative hydrogen stream from industrial production.
2. Pre-treatment of the hydrogen stream: The partners will investigate how the hydrogen stream can be made suitable for use in the reduction process without adding unnecessary complexity or cost.

The project will be demonstrated in an industrial pilot environment. ReWhire therefore focuses not on fundamental research, but on the next step towards industrial validation and scale-up.

The partners: RIFT and Evonik

RIFT develops Iron Fuel Technology for sustainable industrial heat. The company is working on a model in which iron fuel is produced centrally and then supplied to industrial heat users. In 2026, RIFT announced that it had secured €113.8 million in financing to scale Iron Fuel Technology towards commercial deployment.

Evonik Antwerp contributes industrial context, process expertise and access to a relevant hydrogen by-product stream. For Evonik, the project aligns with the search for higher-value applications for existing hydrogen streams and the further electrification of industrial processes.

The collaboration is a strong fit: RIFT needs affordable and scalable hydrogen sources for iron fuel production, while Evonik is exploring how a hydrogen by-product can be used in a smarter and more valuable way.

Who is this project relevant for?

ReWhire is relevant for several target groups:

• industrial companies with high heat demand;
• chemical companies with hydrogen-rich by-product streams;
• energy and technology companies working on sustainable heat solutions;
• organisations active in hydrogen, industrial decarbonisation and circular energy carriers;
• investors, public authorities and knowledge institutions involved in cleantech scale-up.

If successful, ReWhire can contribute to a new route for producing affordable iron fuel. This creates a dual impact: industrial hydrogen by-products are used in a higher-value application, while sustainable heat becomes more economically attractive for industrial users.

Financing through Eurostars

ReWhire is supported through Eurostars, the European innovation programme for international R&D collaboration. Eurostars supports SMEs that work with European partners to develop new market-oriented technologies.

The programme is a strong fit for ReWhire, as the project combines international collaboration, technological development, industrial demonstration and market-oriented scale-up.

The role of The Future

The Future supported RIFT and Evonik in the subsidy application process. Our role focused on sharpening the project objective, structuring the technical development route, substantiating the market need and translating the collaboration into a strong Eurostars application.

The approval of ReWhire confirms the value of a clear project narrative: a concrete industrial problem, a strong technological solution, complementary partners and a clear route towards market application.

With ReWhire, RIFT and Evonik are taking an important step towards affordable, circular and scalable decarbonisation of industrial heat.