Swedish company unveils the world’s first carbon free “Green steel”
Industries like the steel industry are among the world's most polluting, but new technologies and techniques are making it greener.
Key takeaways
- The Swedish venture Hybrit said it was delivering the steel to truck maker Volvo as a trial run before full commercial production in 2026.
- Volvo has said it will start production in 2021 of prototype vehicles and components from the green steel.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2021) 'Swedish company unveils the world’s first carbon free “Green steel”', 311 Institute, 4 September. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/swedish-company-unveils-the-worlds-first-carbon-free-green-steel/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
The world’s first customer delivery of so called “Green Steel,” which was produced without using coal, took place in Sweden last week, according to its manufacturer. The Swedish venture Hybrit said it was delivering the steel to truck maker Volvo as a trial run before full commercial production in 2026. Volvo has said it will start production in 2021 of prototype vehicles and components from the green steel.
Steel production using coal accounts for around 8% of all global greenhouse gas emissions so even though this announcement might be lost on most people it’s a very important milestone for what’s generally regarded as one of the world’s worst polluting industries. It’s also an industry that Bill Gates has been actively trying to “green” via significant multi-million dollar investments in companies like Heliogen whose Solar Oven technology, which, you guessed it, is powered by solar, can provide the enormous amounts of heat needed to smelt aluminium, concrete, and steel without the need for fossil fuels.
Hybrit originally started test operations at its pilot plant for green steel in Lulea, northern Sweden, a year ago, and they want to completely replace coking coal, which is traditionally needed for ore-based steel making, with renewable electricity and hydrogen, both of which play key roles in helping the EU reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Hybrit is owned by the steelmaker SSAB, state owned utility Vattenfall, and miner LKAB, with SSAB accounting for more than 10% of Sweden’s and 7% of Finland’s total carbon dioxide emissions, and the company said the trial delivery was an “important step towards a completely fossil-free value chain […] with the goal being to deliver fossil-free steel to the market and demonstrate the technology on an industrial scale as early as 2026.”
Not to be out done though another green steel venture, H2 Green Steel, is planning to build a fossil fuel-free steel plant in the north of Sweden, including a sustainable hydrogen facility, with production starting in 2024 …
Source: Volvo
What this means for your organisation
Heavy industry can decarbonise.
Replacing coal with hydrogen proves steel need not pollute. Other hard to abate sectors can follow.
Buyers drive demand.
Volvo's early orders give producers a market. Customers that commit early help scale supply.
Supply will be tight at first.
Full production is years away. Firms with net zero targets should secure volumes early.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- How much of our footprint comes from steel we buy?
- Should we sign early supply deals for green steel?
- What premium would our customers accept for green materials?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Industries like the steel industry are among the world's most polluting, but new technologies and techniques are making it greener.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
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Sources and further reading
- Fossil free steel ssab.com
- Volvo cars is first car maker to explore fossil free steel with ssab media.volvocars.com
- Metallurgical coal bhp.com
- H2 Green Steel h2greensteel.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 4 September 2021. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2021). Swedish company unveils the world’s first carbon free “Green steel”. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/swedish-company-unveils-the-worlds-first-carbon-free-green-steel/
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