SSAB aims to place the world's first fossil-free steel on the market already in 2026; SSAB Fossil-free™ steel. In 2023, SSAB launched a steel based on scrap - with no carbon emissions; SSAB Zero™. Together, these high-quality steel products are revolutionizing the industry by products that does not create fossil-fuel CO2 emissions.
The steel industry is currently one of the highest carbon emitters, accounting for 7% of all emissions globally. While SSAB is already one of the world’s most 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.
An investment in fossil-free steel adds value to your business by eliminating the carbon footprint in the steel part of your value chain. Your sales contact can give you more information.
Both SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel, are steels with no carbon emissions. SSAB Zero is based on scrap. SSAB Fossil-free steel is based on iron-ore produced without fossil fuels, using HYBRIT® technology. Independent of the raw material, to our knowledge, SSAB will have the lowest emission steel offering. SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will have the quality and properties.
Both SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel are emission-free steels in terms of energy use and steelmaking (Scope 1 and 2). Taking end-of-life into account, the carbon footprint of SSAB Fossil-free steel is much lower than that of SSAB Zero. Both steels have significantly lower carbon footprints than standard steel products.
The carbon emissions of SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ are 0.0 kg CO2e emissions per kg/steel from energy used and steelmaking. Carbon emissions are not completely zero, but so small that we guarantee that it is less than 0.05 kg CO2e emissions per kg/steel, and thus rounded to 0.0. Typical values for iron ore-based steel produced in blast furnaces are 2.0 kg CO2e emissions per kg/steel.
The carbon emissions of SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ including the raw material (Scope 1, 2 and 3 upstream) are less than 0.3 kg CO2e emissions per kg/steel, compared with the typical values of 2.4 kg CO2e emissions per kg/ steel for iron ore-based steel produced in blast furnaces.
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 zero carbon emissions from fossil fuels in SSAB’s own operations. It leaves fossil fuels in the ground; this means that you and your end-users become part of an emission-free 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 cost price.
We aim to offer steel made with blast furnace technology in parallel to our steels which are made with no carbon emissions.
No. SSAB has a unique emission-free strategy. SSAB produces steel based on both iron ore (blast furnace route) and recycled steel (electric arc furnace route). Based on the big customer demand for emission-free steel, and to create a complete emission-free steel offering, we added SSAB Zero™ steel in 2023 to the already communicated SSAB Fossil-free™ steel that will be available in large volumes by 2026. Regardless of the raw material, SSAB will have the lowest emission offering. SSAB will continue to use scrap as raw material and continue to make steel products that are 100% recyclable. That is true circularity.
No. Initially, SSAB Zero™ will use other process lines than those of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel. Over the coming years, we will start to make the products in more locations.
Both SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel are premium products with a higher price tag than SSAB's fossil-based steel products. The main cost-drivers for emission-free steels are production and infrastructure investments, and the switch from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas to fossil-free electricity, green hydrogen and biogas.
Yes, we will publish product group-specific carbon footprints for SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel certified 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 emission free.
SSAB Zero™ is steel made from recycled steel. It has near zero emissions during steel production, without mass balancing allocation of emission reduction or carbon emission offsetting.
SSAB Zero™ is a near zero-emission steel in ironmaking, steelmaking and rolling, but not completely fossil-free, as the raw material is scrap. The recycled steel was originally produced with coal and fossil fuels.
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 foamers are added to combine with the impurities and form slag. Molten iron 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.
SSAB Zero™ has 0.0 kg CO2e emissions per kg/steel from energy used and steelmaking (Scope 1 and 2). The carbon emissions are not completely zero, but so small that we guarantee that they are less than 0.05 kg CO2e emissions per kg/steel, and thus rounded to 0.0. Typical values for iron ore-based steel produced in blast furnaces are 2.0 kg CO2e emissions per kg/steel. Including the raw material (Scope 1, 2 and 3 upstream), the carbon emissions are less than 0.3 kg CO2e emissions, compared with the typical values of 2.4 kg CO2e emissions per kg/steel for iron ore-based steel made in blast furnaces.
The first launch of SSAB Zero™ steel products will commence in 2023 and the order of product roll-out will be defined by the requests from our customers. It is SSAB’s ambition to have a large range of our steel grades available. Your sales contact will be able to advise more specifically about your business needs.
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 near zero carbon emissions from fossil fuels in SSAB’s own operations. It leaves fossil fuels in the ground; this means that you and your end-users become part of an emission-free 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 cost price.
Based on our objective to lead the steel industry to a decarbonized future - and because we see a huge customer demand for fossil-free steel, SSAB decided to also develop a near zero emission steel based on scrap. The objective is to offer a complete near zero emission steel offering. Regardless of the steelmaking process, SSAB will showcase a greater and lower emission offering than anyone else. SSAB Zero™ based on scrap, and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel based on iron-ore without fossil fuels.
SSAB makes two types of steel with near zero emissions: SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel. SSAB Zero is based on recycled steel. SSAB Fossil-free steel is based on iron ore without fossil fuels. Recycled steel is a limited resource. Both types of emission-free steels from SSAB make steel available as steel products again as they are 100% recyclable. That is true circularity.
SSAB has implemented a system of internal guarantees of origin to manage and ensure the correct source and use of fossil-free electricity as the actual electricity consumption connected to the production of SSAB Zero™. The system is verified by a third-party verification body.
SSAB Zero™ is not a replacement to SSAB Fossil-free™ steel, it is an addition. SSAB makes steel based both on iron ore (blast furnace route) and scrap (electric arc furnace route). SSAB Fossil-free™ steel is based on patented HYBRIT® technology with direct reduction of iron ore using fossil-free hydrogen. This replaces the iron ore blast furnace route. Based on the huge customer demand for fossil-free steel, SSAB decided to also develop a near zero emission steel based on scrap. The objective is to offer a complete near zero-emission steel offering Regardless of the ironmaking process, SSAB will showcase a greater offering than anyone else.
No. Together they form a complete near zero emission steel offering. SSAB Zero™ based on recycled steel and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel based on iron ore without fossil fuels. The aim is to launch SSAB Fossil-free™ steel in 2026. The first launch of Zero™ steel products will commence in 2023 and the order of product roll-out will be defined by customer requests. It is SSAB’s ambition to have a large range of our steel grades available. Your sales contact will be able to advise more specifically about your business needs.
The quality and properties of SSAB Zero™ steel will be the same as SSAB’s standard steel. The properties of SSAB’s steel 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 fossil-free electricity and other fossil-free fuels.
SSAB Zero™ steel is a premium product with a higher price tag than SSAB’s fossil-based steel products. The main cost-drivers for emission-free steel 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 steel of today, which means it has a higher price tag. For specific prices, please speak with your SSAB sales contact.
To the best of our knowledge, SSAB is the only steel producer offering near zero emission steel based on scrap with fossil-free electricity and biogas, with no carbon emission offsetting, and with no mass balance allocation of products.
Fossil free means that a product or service has been created without using fossil fuels or fossil raw materials. Fossil-free steel is made without creating carbon emissions and by using fossil-free energy sources. All of the iron ore used in SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will come from fossil-free mining in the future.
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 gas through the HYBRIT process. 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 solid iron (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 first launch of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel products will commence in 2026 and the order of product roll-out 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 other fossil-free fuels.
SSAB Fossil-free™ steel is a premium product with a higher price tag than SSAB’s fossil-based steel products. The main cost-drivers for fossil-free steel are production and infrastructure investments to switch from coal to fossil-free electricity and hydrogen, from natural gas to biogas, and from iron ore pellets to sponge iron.
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 has invested heavily in fossil-free steel and as part of this, the production process will be documented in an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). EPDs are third-party reviewed and follow strict European and international standards.
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. Fossil-free steel will match the current standards of steel and will be suitable for use just as today’s steel.
The steel industry is currently one of the highest carbon emitters, accounting for 7% of all emissions globally. While SSAB is already one of the world’s most 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.
No. SSAB has a unique emission-free strategy. SSAB produces steel based on both iron ore (blast furnace route) and recycled steel (electric arc furnace route). Based on the big customer demand for emission-free steel, and to create a complete emission-free steel offering, we added SSAB Zero™ steel in 2023 to the already communicated SSAB Fossil-free™ steel that will be available in large volumes by 2026. Regardless of the raw material, SSAB will have the lowest emission offering. SSAB will continue to use scrap as raw material and continue to make steel products that are 100% recyclable. That is true circularity.
The primary advantage of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel is that it is a material that has created zero carbon emissions from fossil fuels in SSAB’s own operations. It leaves fossil fuels in the ground; this means that you and your end-users become part of an emission-free value chain. The only disadvantage of fossil-free steel is that start-up production costs are higher, making it more expensive to produce and so it has a higher cost price.
Yes, all the iron ore used in SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will come from fossil-free mining.
Yes. That is our goal.
The production cost of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel is higher than standard steel, which means it has a higher price tag. For specific prices, please contact your SSAB sales representative.
SSAB is currently the only steel producer that has committed to and is investing in fossil-free production. By using HYBRIT fossil-free steel technology and eliminating the carbon footprint from the steel production process, SSAB will leave fossil fuels in the ground.