Sustainable World through Steels
Sustainable World through Steels is a 5-year research and development program with an ecosystem investment exceeding EUR 100 million. The program aims to build a world-leading high-strength fossil-free steel production system. Funding from Business Finland is highly acknowledged.
Mission
1. Innovate high-strength steel grades and industrial applications with superior material performance and energy efficiency
2. Transform Finland’s steel production from a traditional base-industry model into a modern, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing system
3. Boost circularity and value-added creation of fossil-free steels in the marine, energy, automotive, and construction value chains
4. Decarbonize steel manufacturing to support Europe’s green transition and long-term resilience
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Summary
The Sustainable World through Steels ecosystem aims to decarbonise the steel and mechanical engineering sectors, which are among the world’s major sources of CO₂ emissions. High-strength, fossil-free steels will enable lighter, more efficient, and more profitable products in the marine, automotive, construction, and energy sectors, delivering significant CO₂ emission reductions across both steel production and product life cycles.
The ecosystem aims to transform Finland’s steel industry into a modern, resilient, efficient, and low-carbon system by 2035.
The challenges addressed by Sustainable World through Steels are global in nature, as steel is an irreplaceable material in virtually every country. Although research and development will take place in Finland – providing the country with a first-mover advantage - the solutions developed through the program will be applied and leveraged to solve challenges across Europe and globally.
The ecosystem brings together actors from across the steel industry and beyond including end users, steel producers and technology developers, recycling and chemical companies, digitalization companies, as well as leading research centres and universities. Through Sustainable World through Steels, steelmakers will be able to export higher volumes of higher-value steels, steel end users will export more competitive products, and digital and technology developers will export solutions that are in strong global demand.
Sustainable World through Steels aligns with Finland’s and the EU’s objectives for security of supply, carbon neutrality, increased R&D intensity, and industrial resilience. By establishing knowledge hubs in Raahe and Oulu, the program will position Finland as a global lighthouse for fossil-free steel production and implementation expertise.
Roadmap
The roadmap is structured around four thematic R&D themes, all supported by cross-cutting elements such as digitalization, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, and coordinated through an ecosystem leadership package. Each research theme includes derined research questions and structured ecosystem collaboration.
In addition to the technological dimensions, the project also integrates economic, market, and societal impact analysis to ensure that the transformation supports sustainable business growth, employment, and regional development in Finland.
This work forms part of the preparatory development necessary for a planned investment in a new low-carbon steel mill in Raahe. The challenges to be addressed are significant, and SSAB needs close collaboration with Finnish industry to overcome them through a joint effort.
Sustainable World through Steels is guided by a strategic roadmap for 2030–2035, developed in close cooperation with universities, research institutions, and industrial partners.
Theme 1
Solutions for fossil-free electric steelmaking
provides solutions for fossil-free steelmaking processes, covering the entire value chain from raw materials and energy to downstream operations, enabling manufacturing of fossil-free steels without compromising their performance and quality.
A transition from traditional blast furnace–basic oxygen furnace (BF BOF) steelmaking to hydrogen reduction and electric steelmaking poses challenges for the production of high-quality steels for two main reasons: the use of new raw materials and new processes, both of which affect final product quality.
In addition to the hydrogen-based reduction of iron ore, novel energy solutions tailored for specific unit processes enable further reductions in CO2 emissions from auxiliary processes in steelmaking, casting, hot rolling, cold rolling and steel sheet coating.
Theme 2
Optimization and development of sustainable fossil-free steelmaking through digitalization
enables the development, manufacturing, and delivery of fossil-free steel products with high quality, efficiency, and reliability. This requires significant advancements in digitalization, technology, manufacturing processes and maintenance.
For the new production processes required for carbon-dioxide-free steel manufacturing, uninterrupted production and the ability to deliver quality are increasingly important. Therefore, new simulation models, digitalization tools, and AI models are needed to support these objectives. The use of new methods for manufacturing spare parts in maintenance, as well as more efficient use of lubricants, will reduce CO2 emissions and other environmental impacts.
Theme 3
Fossil free steel applications and value chains in high volumes
accelerates the industrial adoption of fossil-free and low-CO₂ steels by co-developing advanced steel grades and high-volume end-use applications in close collaboration with Finnish and global industrial and academic partners.
The work will strengthen Finland’s role as a global leader in sustainable engineering applications, supporting industrial decarbonization, export growth, and system-level change across strategic value chains.
It will also accelerate the industrial adoption of fossil-free emission steels by co-developing advanced steel grades and high-volume end-use applications in close collaboration with Finnish and global industrial and academic partners. The work is structured around six strategic application areas that are vital to Finland’s industrial competitiveness.
Theme 4
Steel mill circular material valorization
aims to maximize the value extracted from steelmaking by-products by developing innovative processing, modification, and application methods. The theme covers the characterization and enhancement of by-product properties, enabling their use in construction, infrastructure, and other industries.
It includes research on both non-modified and modified electric arc furnace (EAF) slags, as well as fine-grained Fe-containing materials, to expand their market potential and environmental benefits.
The theme also explores internal utilization, carbonization, and new agglomeration or reduction technologies to minimize waste and support circularity. Ultimately, the goal is to transform the steel mill into a near zero-waste operation, contributing to the overall sustainability and competitiveness of the Finnish steel industry.