Coal plant today, CO2-free iron power tomorrow: same turbine

Coal plant today. CO2-free iron power tomorrow. Same turbine.

At TU Darmstadt, researchers burn iron powder instead of coal. The result is rust, not CO2. Green hydrogen turns the rust back into iron, and the iron burns again. The researchers call the loop near-lossless.

What this means for plant owners:
A 2026 KIT study finds that converting a coal plant mostly means adapting the heat generator. Steam cycle, turbine and generator stay in place.

The opportunity:
615 MW steam turbine generator set, new and never operated, rated up to 750 MW, complete with boiler, condenser and three warehouses of spare parts. Priced roughly 50 % below a comparable new build.

Run it on coal now. Convert it when iron power is ready. TU Darmstadt already operates a 1 MW pilot plant, and the researchers expect industrial scale from around 2030.

Once conversions start, steam turbine sets like this will be in demand. A new, never-operated 615 MW set at half the new-build price will not come back.

Price and full data with your LOI.
LKS 360-SCHREINER LLC | manager@lks360.com

Sources: TU Darmstadt (Clean Circles, Metal Energy Hub), KIT study 2026.