Ssab produces the world’s first fossil-free steel
The green steel has been delivered on a trial basis, an important step for building a completely fossil-free value chain.
Ssab has produced the world’s first fossil-free steel through Hybrit and delivered it to the Volvo Group, H2 Bulletin reports.
In July, Ssab Oxelosund rolled the first steel produced using Hybrit technology, i.e., reduced by 100% fossil-free hydrogen instead of coal and coke, with good results. The green steel is now being delivered to the first customer.
Ssab, Lkab, and Vattenfall create Hybrit (Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology) in 2016 to develop technology for fossil-free iron and steelmaking. In June 2021, the consortium showcased the world’s first hydrogen-reduced sponge iron produced at Hybrit’s pilot plant in Lulea. This iron has since been used to produce the first steel made with this technology.
The goal is to deliver fossil-free steel to the market and demonstrate the technology on an industrial scale as early as 2026. Using HYBRIT technology, SSAB can reduce Sweden’s total carbon dioxide emissions by around 10% and Finland’s by approximately 7%.
Minister of Trade and Industry of Sweden Ibrahim Baylan, said, “To drive the transition and become the world’s first fossil-free welfare state, collaboration between business, universities and the public sector is crucial.”
Martin Lindqvist, President and CEO of Ssab, said, “The first fossil-free steel in the world is not only a breakthrough for SSAB, it represents proof that it’s possible to make the transition and significantly reduce the global carbon footprint of the steel industry.”
Jan Mostrom, President and CEO of Lkab, said, “By industrialising this technology in the future and making the transition to the production of sponge iron on an industrial scale, we will enable the steel industry to make the transition. This is the greatest thing we can do together for the climate.”
Anna Borg, President and CEO of Vattenfall, said, “It’s very pleasing that the HYBRIT partnership is once more taking an important step forward and that SSAB can now produce the first fossil-free steel and deliver to the customer.”
Johnny Sjöström, Head of SSAB Special Steels Division, added, “We’ll be converting to electric arc furnace in Oxelösund as early as 2025. This is the first production site within Ssab to make the transition, and it means that we’ll already be cutting large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions then.”
