Abstract: In an apparatus, comprising a plant for the electrothermic preparation of ethyne from coal or a hydrocarbon-containing gas providing a hydrogen-containing gas, a plant for the production of iron by reduction of oxidic iron ores, and at least one gas conduit which feeds the hydrogen-containing gas from the plant for the electrothermic preparation of ethyne as reducing agent to the plant for the production of iron by reduction of oxidic iron ores, electric energy can be utilized for the production of iron from oxidic iron ores by feeding a hydrogen-containing gas, obtained in the electrothermic preparation of ethyne from coal or a hydrocarbon-containing gas, as reducing agent to the plant for the production of iron by reduction of oxidic iron ores.

Abstract: In a plant comprising a first apparatus for the electrochemical or electrothermal production of hydrogen, which produces a first hydrogen stream; a second apparatus for producing hydrogen from a hydrocarbon by steam reforming, partial oxidation or dehydrogenation, which produces a second hydrogen stream; a hydrogen conduit or a hydrogen consumer to which both the first hydrogen stream and the second hydrogen stream are fed; and a control device which matches the production of hydrogen in the first apparatus and in the second apparatus in such a way that the total amount of first hydrogen stream and second hydrogen stream corresponds to a predetermined value, excess electric energy can be efficiently utilized by operating the apparatus for the electrochemical or electrothermal production of hydrogen with excess electric energy.