Utility Global has enlisted Dr. Henrik Adam, the onetime chief executive of a Tata Steel division and longtime president of EUROFER, as an adviser to its board—an appointment aimed squarely at the European steelmakers racing to replace coal-fired blast furnaces with hydrogen-based processes.
The timing is deliberate. By 2030, hydrogen-direct-reduced iron (H₂-DRI) fed into electric-arc furnaces is expected to dominate new “near-zero” steel capacity on the Continent, according to a transition report by the climate think tank E3G. McKinsey projects that steel alone will account for about 8 percent of global clean-hydrogen demand by the end of the decade, while delivering nearly one-fifth of the emissions abatement that hydrogen enables in heavy industry.
Utility Global believes its proprietary H2Gen® reactors can undercut electrolyzer-based green hydrogen on cost for steel plants by using low-value off-gases already produced on-site as the energy source. The modules require no external electricity and leave a concentrated CO₂ stream that can be captured or sold, the company says. Dr. Adam’s three decades of operating steelworks from Duisburg to IJmuiden give him intimate knowledge of those off-gas networks—and the purchasing power to modernize them.
Regulation adds urgency. The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism starts phasing in fees on imported steel in 2026, effectively putting a price on each tonne’s embedded CO₂. Brussels is also drafting an Industrial Decarbonization Accelerator Act that could tie public funding to clear transformation road maps. Utilities that can shave a few euros off every kilogram of hydrogen—and avoid volatile power prices—stand to capture a wave of cap-ex.
“Dr. Adam’s global expertise, cross-sector experience, and track record of transformational leadership make him an exceptional addition as a close Advisor to the Board,” said Parker Meeks, President & CEO of Utility. “As we continue to scale impact across industries, starting in steel, his guidance will be invaluable in navigating global challenges and unlocking new opportunities.”
Dr. Adam, who continues as executive chairman of Tata Steel Netherlands and chairs Germany’s venerable Steel Institute VDEh, said, “I’m honored to join Utility as Advisor to the Board at such a pivotal time for industrial transformation. Utility’s vision aligns strongly with the challenges and opportunities facing industry today, from economic decarbonization to digitalization, and I look forward to contributing to its next chapter of growth.”
For investors at Ara Partners, Utility Global’s private-equity backer, Dr. Adam’s network offers a fast track into boardrooms now scouting pilot projects to satisfy both the CBAM ledger and green-steel offtake deals with automakers. If the former Tata boss can translate contacts into purchase orders, Utility’s off-gas alchemy may find its first commercial furnace in Europe rather than in Texas.
