Swedes invest in carbon-free steel production

Sweden has decided to invest SEK 6.7 million in a feasibility study for a carbon-free steel project by SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall. This is the first of three phases of a long-term project planned for the next 20 years.

By the end of 2017, a preliminary feasibility study will be developed, and the corresponding research program will start working until 2024. The third phase involves the construction of a demonstration plant to be completed in 2035.

The project aims to replace coke blast furnaces with a direct reduction unit using hydrogen. Thus, instead of emitting carbon dioxide, steam will be generated. This project could be the starting point for radical changes in the Swedish steel industry. “Ultimately, this could mean Sweden will become the first country in the world to produce carbon-free steel on an industrial scale,” says Clara Helstad, head of renewable energy at the Swedish Energy Agency.

While SSAB claims that its facilities are one of the most energy efficient steel plants in the world, it is considered one of the largest emitters of carbon dioxide in Sweden. “The success of this project is important not only for the iron and steel sector, but for the whole of Sweden, as a contribution to the country's fossil fuel free policy, which is set to 2045,” said Martin Lindqvist, President and CEO of SSAB.