thyssenkrupp Carbon2Chem GmbH

thyssenkrupp Carbon2Chem GmbH is a German limited liability company headquartered in Essen that coordinates the Carbon2Chem® research and development project. The company focuses on technologies to capture and convert blast furnace gases from steel production—primarily CO₂, CO, and other components—into valuable chemical feedstocks such as methanol, ammonia, and precursors for plastics and fuels.

Its main activities include process development, pilot-scale testing, and preparation for industrial-scale implementation of carbon capture and utilization (CCU) solutions. Key facilities comprise a 3,700 m² technical center in Duisburg next to thyssenkrupp Steel Europe’s steelworks for real-gas testing and a 500 m² laboratory in Oberhausen for fundamental research. The project integrates renewable hydrogen production and supports sector coupling across steel, energy, and chemical industries to enable a circular carbon economy and reduce industrial emissions.

thyssenkrupp Carbon2Chem GmbH operates as part of thyssenkrupp Decarbon Technologies GmbH within the thyssenkrupp AG group. It collaborates with over twenty partners including thyssenkrupp Uhde, thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, BASF, Siemens, Clariant, Fraunhofer UMSICHT, and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion. The multi-phase project has secured more than €144 million in funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF/BMFTR), with the third phase (2025–2028) emphasizing industrial validation, electrolyzer advancements, and expansion toward sustainable aviation fuels.

In the chemical and decarbonization industry, the company positions thyssenkrupp as a leader in CCU applications for hard-to-abate sectors, leveraging the group’s extensive experience in chemical plant engineering and steel production.