In January 2022, SSAB’s Board of Directors took a policy decision that SSAB will largely eliminate carbon dioxide emissions around 2030, which includes building a new production system in the Nordics. Under the new plan, the sites in Luleå and in Raahe will be transformed into cost-effective mini-mills, with electric arc furnaces and rolling mills. – SSAB is known for our expertise and the quality of our steel. With the minimills we will be able to offer a wider product range of fossil-free steel with several weeks shorter lead times than we have today, says Viktoria Karsberg, Head of Corporate Identity and Group Communications at SSAB.
Luleå – a strategic location
To SSAB, northern Sweden has always been important with Luleå as a hub in their steel production. A competence cluster has been formed there between SSAB and its partners from businesses, public sector, and universities.
– Luleå has an important geographical location – close to raw materials and with good access to fossil-free electricity. Our employees are experts in what they do and there is also a proximity between SSAB’s production and the pilot plant where the HYBRIT technology is being developed. From there, we take the materials to produce the first fossil-free steel and the first fossil-free prototypes, says Viktoria Karsberg.
International attention
SSAB started the journey towards fossil free steel already in 2016, and their progress has created a lot of attention worldwide. Delegations all the way from India and US have visited SSAB’s site in Luleå to understand this big transformation.
– We hope that we are able to inspire others to follow, this is the biggest revolution in our industry for over 1000 years, says Viktoria Karsberg.
To develop northern Sweden, partnerships are one of the most important keys to success.
– We are collaborating with partners in the HYBRIT project, LKAB and Vattenfall. We also need to cooperate with the all stakeholders, including authorities and universities. To succeed, we need to make this transformation together. One of the challenges is to make sure that there is enough electricity and transmission capacity delivered to the right place and at the right time.
New research shows hydrogen-reduced iron has superior properties
Recently SSAB sent out a press release that new research within the HYBRIT project, driven by SSAB, LKAB and Vattenfall, shows superior results on the properties and quality of the hydrogen direct reduced sponge iron (H-DRI) made using HYBRIT technology. Test results prove that the direct reduction of iron ore using hydrogen offers a superior product that is easy to handle, transport and store. It also virtually eliminates CO2 emissions in the reduction process.
Hybrit Development AB has filed patent applications describing the included inventions to the European Patent Office.
Welcome to join us at Hydrogen Europe Flagship Event & Expo in Brussels 25-27 October
SSAB will together with Invest in Norrbotten and several actors from North Sweden, all a part of the green hydrogen ecosystem, attend Hydrogen Europe Flagship Event & Expo in Brussels!
Together we will show you the potential of our region and our emerging ecosystem for green hydrogen based on low cost green energy, technical expertise, successful and innovative companies and a long history of successful industrial establishments. We will show you how we can decarbonize the impossible with initiatives that are already ongoing in our region as well as future projects – all with the aim to lower the global CO2 emissions.
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