Helix Carbon Innovates to Reduce Steel Industry Costs and Emissions by Recycling Blast Furnace Emissions

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Helix Carbon has developed a technology to recycle carbon dioxide waste from blast furnaces into carbon monoxide, reducing coke consumption and emissions in iron production while lowering costs for steelmakers.

The iron and steel industries, known for their substantial carbon emissions, face growing pressure to decarbonize. A startup named Helix Carbon aims to address this via a novel approach focused on the core of iron production: the blast furnace. Unlike many ventures attempting to replace the blast furnace or invent entirely new steelmaking methods, Helix Carbon seeks to enhance the existing process by eliminating pollution at its source.

Blast furnaces have historically used coke—a form of processed coal—to supply the heat and carbon monoxide necessary to convert iron ore into metallic iron. This method generates vast amounts of carbon dioxide, which is typically emitted directly into the atmosphere. Helix Carbon’s innovation involves an electrolyzer capable of treating raw blast furnace exhaust to convert the carbon dioxide back into carbon monoxide. This recycled carbon monoxide can then be fed into the furnace, reducing the amount of coke required to sustain the chemical reduction.

According to Helix Carbon’s co-founder and CEO David Brown, the company’s electrolyzer design is unique in handling the untreated exhaust stream, unlike conventional electrolyzers that require purified carbon dioxide feedstocks. By reintegrating the carbon monoxide, iron producers can reduce coke consumption by about one-third initially, with scientific estimates ranging from 30 to 90 percent reductions. This cut-back translates into cost savings of approximately $14 per ton of iron produced—significant in an industry known for tight profit margins.

The steel sector’s massive $2 trillion global market and slow equipment turnover—blast furnaces sometimes operate for over a century—pose challenges for rapid adoption. To facilitate commercialization and revenue generation, Helix Carbon also plans to collaborate with the specialty chemicals sector. Their technology uses waste carbon dioxide directly, enabling onsite chemical production without requiring upfront CO2 capture, thus broadening market opportunities.

Helix Carbon unveiled its technology in a live pitch at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, highlighting its potential to simultaneously reduce industrial emissions and improve economic efficiency in steelmaking. The company’s solution promises a promising path for an industry striving to balance environmental responsibility with economic realities.