RIFT secures EU Innovation Fund grant for Alpha One

Key highlights
  • RIFT signed a Grant Agreement with the EU Innovation Fund to advance Alpha One into detailed engineering, contracting and FID preparation
  • Alpha One will be built at Evonik's Antwerp site and target production of 120,000 tonnes/year of Iron Fuel
  • The Iron Fuel process uses iron powder oxidised for heat and reduced with low-carbon hydrogen, enabling up to 244 GWh/year of carbon-free industrial heat
  • The project is expected to avoid about 681,895 tonnes of CO2 over the first ten years

Grant agreement and next steps

RIFT has signed the Grant Agreement with the EU Innovation Fund for the Alpha One project, formalising the funding and initiating the project under the Fund; the agreement enables detailed engineering, contracting and preparation for a final investment decision.

Independent evaluation

As part of the Innovation Fund assessment independent experts rated Alpha One as highly innovative and credible, noting the innovation as a breakthrough and a potential solution to decarbonise industrial high‑temperature heat where few alternatives exist.

Project scope and location

Alpha One will be developed at Evonik’s Antwerp site and is designed to produce 120,000 tonnes per year of Iron Fuel, enabling up to 244 GWh per year of carbon‑free industrial heat.

Technology and emissions impact

Iron Fuel Technology uses iron powder oxidised to release heat and reduced with low‑carbon hydrogen in a closed‑loop, providing high‑temperature heat without direct CO₂ emissions; over its first ten years the project is expected to avoid approximately 681,895 tonnes of CO₂.