Sweden Officially Sells the World's First

Sweden has delivered the world's first shipment of "green steel," which is produced without using fossil fuels. This milestone marks a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions from the steel industry. 

The first shipment was delivered to Swedish truck manufacturer Volvo AB, and full-scale production of this type of steel is set to begin in 2026.

While much attention is given to the role of fossil fuels in electricity generation, research led by Carbon Brief shows that steel plants worldwide are responsible for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 9% of global carbon dioxide emissions. This is due to the large amount of fossil fuels used in steel production. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that global steel production will increase by one-third by 2050.

Speaking at a press conference, Sweden's Minister for Business, Industry, and Innovation, Ibrahim Baylan, expressed his excitement about being the minister in a country where the industry is energetically working to establish green production structures.

Baylan added, "The industry, and particularly the steel industry, produces large amounts of emissions but is also an important part of the solution for reducing greenhouse gases."

The "green steel" is produced through a joint venture between Swedish steelmaker SSAB, energy company Vattenfall, and iron ore mining company LKAB. The technology used to produce this steel is called HYBRIT (Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology) – a breakthrough ironmaking technology using green hydrogen to replace fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions by at least 90% compared to traditional steel production.

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SSAB, LKAB, and Vattenfall have announced that they will start full-scale production of this new type of steel in 2026. Earlier this year, Volvo announced that they would be the first manufacturer to produce cars using green steel.

While this project may be the first of its kind in the world, it is not the only one with a goal of creating "green steel."

Outside of Europe, China's Baowu, the world's largest steelmaker, has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and is exploring hydrogen technology as a way to reduce fossil fuel use in steel production. India's Tata Steel has also developed a process called HIsarna, which still uses coal, but they claim it can reduce emissions by 20%.

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