Page 27 - Green Builder Magazine Jul-Aug 2021

This Swedish steel maker wants to pull

the plug on ‘heavy’ metal.

“The climate crisis is the

biggest challenge of our

time. Given steel’s impact on
Number 1 other industries’ sustainable

development, a rapid change
in green hydrogen of the steel industry is

Size of the new plant in 2024 among extremely important.”
those fueled by renewable hydrogen

the 800 megawatt facility—to be built from scrap metal—to of management. “As a preferred partner, we will be using
be net zero by 2030, at which point the site will work with green steel in various vehicle models as early as 2025.” The
customers in multiple commercial industries. company currently makes cars that are 50 percent steel, all
The project is already attracting some big players as of which is GhG generating, he adds.
financial backers. Mercedes-Benz is joining as part of its If the production site is as successful as expected, other
plan to reach carbon neutral status by 2039. Daniel Ek, companies will begin their own projects built around green
founder of music streaming service Spotify, has included hydrogen, according to Carl-Erik Lagercrantz, chairperson
H2 as one of the green companies to which he is pledging a of H2 Green Steel and Northvolt. He says that’s a great thing,
total of $1.2 billion of his own funds. Investment firm Vargas and it’s the type of action that has occurred before.
Holding, whose clients include Volvo and green battery “We want to accelerate the transformation of the European
maker Northvolt, has also signed on. steel industry,” Lagercrantz says. “Electrification was the
“With an equity stake in H2 Green Steel, Mercedes-Benz is first step in reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the
sending an important signal to accelerate change in the steel transportation industry. The next step is to build vehicles
industry and increase the availability of carbon-free steel,” from high-quality fossil-free steel.”
says Markus Schäfer, a member of the company’s board 2021 ECO-LEADERS

Grand plan. Norrbotten, Sweden is a rural locale where officials can create a “greenfield” facility—one that is sustainably constructed from
groundbreaking to grand opening. CREDIT: MATS ENGFORS/H2 GREEN STEEL

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