In 2021, SSAB produced the world’s first fossil-free steel as a proof-of-concept using hydrogen reduced sponge iron. In 2023, SSAB launched SSAB Zero™ steel made using scrap. Find out more about SSAB’s sustainable offering.
The steel industry is currently one of the highest carbon emitters, accounting for around 7% of all CO2 emissions globally. While SSAB is already one of the world’s most CO2 efficient steel producers, we know that the industry still has a long way to go. SSAB is leading the green transformation of the steel industry and is aiming to largely eliminate fossil CO2-emissions from our own operations.
SSAB Zero™ is made using recycled steel and fossil-free energy. SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will be made using fossil-free sponge iron using HYBRIT® technology and fossil-free energy. Compared to standard steel, SSAB’s offering has the lowest carbon footprint in the world, to our knowledge.
The fossil carbon emissions in SSAB’s production of SSAB Zero™ are less than 0.05 kg CO2e/kg steel in Scope 1 and 2 of the GHG Protocol. Typical corresponding values for iron ore-based steel produced in blast furnaces are approximately 1.5 kg CO2e/kg steel.
The carbon footprint of SSAB Zero™ including the raw material (Scope 1, 2 and 3 upstream) is between 0.47 and 0.70 kg CO2e/kg steel, compared to the typical values of 2.4 kg CO2e/kg steel for iron ore-based steel produced in blast furnaces.
The fossil carbon emissions in SSAB’s production of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel are targeted to be less than 0.05 kg CO2e/kg steel in Scope 1, 2 and for iron ore upstream Scope 3, of the GHG Protocol. Typical corresponding values for iron ore-based steel produced in blast furnaces are approximately 1.5 kg CO2e/kg steel.
Taking end-of-life into account, the carbon footprint of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will be lower than that of SSAB Zero™. Both steels have significantly lower carbon footprints than standard steel.
If you cannot find the information you are looking for here, please contact us here. Or get in touch with your SSAB sales contact directly.
The primary advantage of SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel is that it is a material that has created virtually no fossil carbon emissions from SSAB’s own operations. It leaves fossil fuels in the ground. This means that you and your end-users become part of a low-emission value chain. The only disadvantage of SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel is that start-up production costs are higher, making it more expensive to produce and so it has a higher price.
SSAB Zero™ steel is, and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will be, premium products with a higher price than SSAB's fossil-based steel products. The main cost-drivers for decarbonized steels are production and infrastructure investments, and the switch from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas to fossil-free electricity, fossil-free green hydrogen and biogas.
Yes, the SSAB Zero™ Certificate of Carbon Emissions is available from the SSAB Download Center. It has been verified by a third-party verification body.
As an innovator of fossil-free steel, SSAB is confident that all steel producers will, in time, replace their fossil-fuel based processes with fossil-free technology. SSAB shares the new technology by publishing research reports, running public webinars, participating in expert conferences worldwide and arranging knowledge-sharing events for the steel and mining industry. Whether or not other steel suppliers will use the same technology, we hope that we will demonstrate and inspire the rest of the steel industry to go fossil-free. To our knowledge, we are also the first steel company in the world with a sustainable offering consisting of steels with less climate impact as we define SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel.
SSAB Zero™ is steel made using recycled steel (scrap) and fossil-free energy. It has virtually zero fossil emissions during steel production, without mass balancing or allocation of emission reductions or carbon emission offsetting. It is our way to produce our existing steel grades and products with significantly lower carbon footprint, while maintaining the same premium quality, properties and dimensions
The first step in making SSAB Zero™ is to feed the electric arc furnace (EAF) with scrap. Heat is generated from an electric arc between electrodes. Oxygen is blown into the furnace, and lime and slag formers are added to combine with the impurities and form slag. Molten steel is extracted and poured out via a tapping spout. Across the entire process, only fossil-free electricity and fuels will be used – resulting in SSAB Zero™ steel as the end-product.
The fossil carbon emissions in SSAB’s production of SSAB Zero™ are less than 0.05 kg CO2e/kg steel in Scope 1 and 2 of the GHG Protocol. Typical corresponding values for iron ore-based steel produced in blast furnaces are approximately 1.5 kg CO2e/kg steel.
The carbon footprint of SSAB Zero™ including the raw material (Scope 1, 2 and 3 upstream) is between 0.47 and 0.70 kg CO2e/kg steel, compared to the typical values of 2.4 kg CO2e/kg steel for iron ore-based steel produced in blast furnaces.
SSAB Zero™ has the same properties and quality as its traditionally produced counterpart, so it will perform in the same way in all industrial applications. SSAB Zero™ matches the current standards of steel and is suitable for use just as standard steel.
If you cannot find the information you are looking for here, please contact us here. Or get in touch with your SSAB sales contact directly.
The primary advantage of SSAB Zero™ is that it is a steel that has created zero fossil carbon emissions in SSAB’s own operations. This means that you and your end-users become part of a low-emission value-chain. The only disadvantage of SSAB Zero™ steel is that start-up production costs are higher, making it more expensive to produce and so it has a higher price.
SSAB is leading the green transformation in the steel industry and aim to build a fossil-free value chain. Because of high customer demand for steel with low CO2 emissions, SSAB has developed SSAB Zero™ made using recycled steel and fossil-free energy. SSAB wants to help steel users reduce their CO2 emissions by using our decarbonized steels, regardless of the source (iron ore, or scrap).
Recycled steel (scrap) is a limited resource. That is why SSAB plans to produce two types of steel with virtually zero fossil carbon emissions in the steelmaking: SSAB Zero™ is based on recycled steel, and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will be made using fossil-free sponge iron using HYBRIT® technology. Both types of emission-free steels from SSAB will be 100% recyclable. That is true circularity.
SSAB has implemented a system of supplier agreements to ensure the correct source and use of fossil-free electricity as the actual electricity consumption connected to the production of SSAB Zero™.
The quality, properties and performance of SSAB Zero™ steel are the same as SSAB’s standard steel. The properties of SSAB’s steels are created in the steelmaking, rolling and heat treatment processes, which will remain the same. The only difference in the process is that the energy used is fossil-free electricity and fossil-free fuels.
SSAB Zero™ is a premium steel with a higher price than SSAB’s steels that are fossil-based. The main cost-drivers for producing steel with virtually zero fossil carbon emissions, are production and infrastructure investments and the switch from natural gas to fossil-free electricity and biogas.
The production cost of SSAB Zero™ steel is higher than that of standard steel, which means it has a higher price. For specific prices, please speak with your SSAB sales contact.
To our knowledge, SSAB is the only steel producer today offering a steel like SSAB Zero™. No other company has developed steel made using recycled scrap, with no carbon emission offsetting, and with no mass balance or allocation of emission reductions. And finally, with almost no fossil carbon emission during the steelmaking process.
Fossil free means that a product or service has been created with virtually no fossil carbon emissions. All of the iron ore used in SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will come from fossil-free mining.
The first step in making SSAB Fossil-free™ steel is to reduce iron ore into iron by removing the oxygen. This has traditionally been done using coal and coke in the blast furnace process. However, this step will now be done using hydrogen according to the HYBRIT® technology. Fossil-free electricity will be used to produce hydrogen from water via electrolysis. The byproduct of this process is water, not CO2. The resulting product of the HYBRIT process is crude steel (sponge iron) which is then melted in an electric arc furnace. Across the entire process, only fossil-free electricity and fuels will be used – resulting in fossil-free steel as the end-product.
The availability of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel products will be defined by customer requests. It is SSAB’s ambition to have the full range of our steel grades available in fossil-free steel. Your sales contact will be able to advise more specifically about your business needs.
SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will have the same quality and properties as SSAB’s standard steel. The properties of SSAB’s steel today are created in the steelmaking, rolling and heat treatment processes, which will remain the same. The only difference in the process is that the energy used will be exclusively fossil-free electricity and fossil-free fuels.
If you cannot find the information you are looking for here, please contact us here. Or get in touch with your SSAB sales contact directly.
SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will have the same properties and quality as its traditionally produced counterpart, so it will perform in the same way in all industrial applications. SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will match the current standards of steel and will be suitable for use just as standard steel.
The steel industry is currently one of the highest carbon emitters, accounting for around 7% of all emissions globally. While SSAB is already one of the world’s most CO2-efficient steelmakers, we know that the industry still has a long way to go. Our objective is to lead the steel industry to a decarbonized future.
The primary advantage of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel is that it will be produced with virtually zero fossil carbon emissions from fossil fuels in SSAB’s own operations, leaving fossil fuels in the ground. This means that you and your end-users will become part of a low-emission value chain. The only disadvantage with fossil-free steel is that start-up production costs are higher, making it more expensive to produce and so it will have a higher price.
Yes, all the iron ore used in SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will come from fossil-free mining.
The production cost of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will be higher than standard steel, which means it will have a higher price. Please contact your SSAB sales representative for specific information.
To our knowledge, SSAB is currently the only steel producer that is using HYBRIT® technology for fossil-free sponge iron and virtually eliminating the fossil carbon footprint from the steel production process