Hydrogen as the future of metallurgy if industry in Europe survives

There are many signs that the hydrogen revolution will sooner or later affect the steel industry. Before that can happen, however, the European steel industry must face the challenges of carbon dioxide emissions, an uncontrolled influx of steel from Asia or the situation created by the coronavirus pandemic. The participants of the Metallurgy panel discussed how to do this during the 12th European Economic Congress.

The coronavirus pandemic has worsened the plight of the steel industry. But to be or not to be in the industry means to find fuel cleaner than coal. At the moment, this sector of the EU must compete with steel coming to Europe from Asia or Russia and Ukraine.

This is a tough fight for the EU. Prices for metal products from foreign manufacturers are very attractive. In theory, this situation works to the advantage of customers. They can buy goods for less. We will have to expect that European manufacturers will be overwhelmed by cheap goods, and there will be no choice but to buy them.

Why are products from Asia or the countries of the former USSR so attractive? The main factor is environmental problems. Paying for emissions makes the steel industry in the European Union less competitive as it requires higher costs. This is the price, among other things, for reducing emissions and adapting to increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Asian manufacturers do not have such restrictions.

From the above, we can conclude:

Without equal opportunity, European steel mills face collapse or even liquidation.
Hydrogen will be the fuel of the future, but for now we cannot do without coke.