A major industrial consortium has broken ground on a pioneering hydrogen-based ironmaking plant in Linz, Austria. The Hy4Smelt demonstration plant will use Primetals Technologies' HYFOR process to produce hot metal with potential net-zero CO₂ emissions. Scheduled to start operations in late 2027, the project aims to prove a scalable alternative to traditional coal-dependent blast furnaces. The venture is supported by funding from both the Austrian government and the European Union.