The first customer delivery of green steel made without coal happened in Sweden, according to the manufacturer.
The Swedish venture Hybrit said that they delivered the innovative steel to the truck maker Volvo AB as a trial run before they go full commercial production in 2026.
Volvo said that they will begin production this year of prototype vehicles and components made of green steel.
The president and CEO of SSAB Martin Lindqvist said in a statement that the first fossil-free steel in the world isn’t just a breakthrough for SSAB, but proof that making the transition is possible and it will help significantly lower the global carbon footprint that the steel industry leaves.
Steel Production’s Effect on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The production of steel with coal is responsible for approximately 8 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Hybrit began tests at their pilot plant for green steel in Lulea in the north of Sweden one year ago.
The goal is for this green steel to replace coal that’s traditionally necessary for ore-based steel production with renewable electricity and hydrogen. Hydrogen is key to the EU’s plan to reach zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Hybrit is owned by SSAB steelmaker, the miner LKAB, and the state-owned utility Vattenfall. SSAB accounts for 10 percent of Sweden’s and 7 percent of Finland’s CO2 emissions.
They said that the trial delivery was a major step towards a fossil-free chain. The goal is to deliver the steel free of fossil to the market and show the tech on an industrial scale as early as 2026.
Moreover, H2 Green Steel, another green steel venture, has plans to build a fossil fuel-free steel plant in northern Sweden, including a sustainable hydrogen facility. The production is expected to begin in 2024.
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