Germany now has a pressurized segment of its hydrogen backbone that is physically complete and operationally empty. There are no connected suppliers feeding hydrogen into it, no contracted customers drawing hydrogen out, and no credible near-term pathway to change either of those facts. This is no longer a question of … [continued]
The idea of a European green steel premium has become widely accepted over the past several years. It rests on the belief that Europe can decarbonize its steel sector domestically, absorb higher production costs through a mix of policy support and buyer willingness, and maintain industrial competitiveness while doing so. … [continued]
The US startup Boston Metal is bringing its new one-pot green steel process to the global industrial decarbonization movement, along with a process for recovering valuable metals from mining waste.
Recent adjustments to my projections for global steel demand through 2100, reflecting a significant slowdown in Chinese infrastructure and cement consumption, have sharpened my economic focus on competing new steelmaking technologies. With lower growth trajectories for steel firmly established, every ton produced in the coming decades will increasingly face stringent … [continued]
In my recent reassessment of global steel demand trajectories, particularly in light of declining cement consumption driven by a slowing Chinese construction sector, I’m revisiting several zero-carbon steel production pathways. One that stands out for its unique electrochemical elegance and considerable engineering complexity is molten oxide electrolysis (MOE). It’s an … [continued]
This week, I had the opportunity to participate in TenneT’s scenario planning for its ambitious 2050 Target Grid project. The session was notable for including Professor Heleen de Coninck, one of the Netherlands’ experts on industrial decarbonization and climate change. Her involvement emphasized the critical importance of identifying scalable pathways … [continued]
My recent update of my global steel projection through 2100, driven by China’s declining demand for cement and infrastructure construction, has refocused my attention on pathways for steel decarbonization. The dynamics of steel consumption and emissions are closely linked to building and infrastructure development, sectors traditionally responsible for about half … [continued]
Recycled steel targets will help clean up car production, strengthen Europe’s domestic industry and reduce our dependence on imports. The automotive industry is the EU’s second biggest steel consumer — yet only a tiny amount, just 6%, of steel used in cars comes from scrap. That’s compared to a European … [continued]
Volvo Cars continues to be a green, sustainability leader. Safety and environmental credentials have long been strong suits of the Volvo brand, and that continues today. News out of Sweden today is that Volvo Cars is getting “high-quality, recycled and near zero-emissions steel” starting this year, 2025, from SSAB. Furthermore, … [continued]
My recent online conversation with Scott Norris, a structural steel expert and Director of Engineering Solutions at Steelcon, prompted me to reexamine some assumptions I had previously made about global steel demand projections. Scott, whose practical experience within the steel industry grants him clear insights into current operational constraints and … [continued]
