Hybrit, a technology developed by the steelmaker SSAB, the mining company LKAB, and the energy company Vattenfall, uses a similar process to make green steel. LKAB is now constructing a plant in Gällivare, Sweden, adjacent to its iron-ore mine. Those plans have been delayed, however, by challenges in getting an environmental permit.
Another way to make green steel is to break the bonds in iron oxide by running a current through a mixture of iron ore and an electrolyte, separating out the purified metal. If you have a clean source of electricity, this process could have an extremely low carbon footprint. Boston Metal aims to commercialize a version of it, which it hopes to license in 2026.
The Stegra plant will produce 4.5 million metric tons of steel each year when it’s fully up and running—a small dent in the several billion metric tons made annually around the world. But showing that steel can be made without huge carbon emissions, and that customers eager for a green product will pay a premium, will be a promising start to cleaning up the industry.
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