Under the Business Finland (BF) – Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) Joint Innovation Call, a bilateral program sponsored by both the Finnish and Chinese governments, ROTOBOOST (Finland) and Baowu Clean Energy announced the official launch of a China–Finland cooperation to deploy Thermo-Catalytic Decomposition (TCD) methane pyrolysis technology for producing low-carbon hydrogen and high-quality solid carbon in steelmaking and aluminum—two of the world’s most energy- and CO₂-intensive industries.
Approved by both governments in September 2025, the launch gathered representatives from Chinese and Finnish authorities, Baowu, ROTOBOOST, partner organizations, and experts from industry and academia.
Why it matters
Steel and aluminum underpin the global economy yet remain hard to abate at scale. Viable pathways must pair deep emissions reductionswith compelling unit economics. This initiative combines Baowu’s process leadership with ROTOBOOST’s TCD platform to deliver on-site, low-carbon hydrogen and monetize circular solid carbon—advancing decarbonization andprofitability.
About the technology
ROTOBOOST’s TCD methane pyrolysis splits natural gas into hydrogen-rich gas and solid carbonwithout direct process CO₂, enabling on-demand hydrogen supply and carbon products for industrial use. In May 2025, ROTOBOOST became the first TCD company to receive TÜV SÜD certification for the low-carbon footprint of both its hydrogen and carbon products. Earlier this year, the parties signed a cooperation agreement in Shanghai.
Project focus and scope
- On-site low-carbon hydrogen for steel: Deliver a stable, cost-effective hydrogen supply at Baowu sites to enable DRI/EAF and other hydrogen-enabled routes, integrated with existing utilities and operations.
- High-value carbon utilization (production-grade): Deploy ROTOBOOST solid carbon with production specifications into electrode and composite applications across steel and aluminum value chains, with commercial batches and established processing routes.
- Commercial deployment & performance assurance: Commission and operate modular TCD units under full commercial conditions, delivering defined hydrogen volumes and material-performance matrix with transparent monitoring and decision-grade techno-economics—supporting rapid multi-site rollout.
- Data, MRV & certification: Capture critical real-operation data(mass/energy balances, emissions factors, hydrogen purity, carbon specs) to produce auditable LCA/GHG inventories; align with internationally recognized standards and pursue accredited third-party verification to enable globally accepted emissions-reduction data and certificates for customer reporting and procurement programs.
Strategic impact
Operating under the BF–MOST joint innovation framework, the collaboration targets four practical bottlenecks to industrial decarbonization—reliable low-carbon hydrogen supply, cost and unit economics, integration with existing assets, and materials performance.
By generating decision-grade technical and economic evidence at operating sites, the partners aim to deliver a replicable, technology-plus-application blueprint for large-scale deployments in steel and aluminum globally.
Next steps
Joint engineering, safety and integration studies begin immediately, followed by phased deployments and performance validation to inform wider roll-out across steel and aluminum production.
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