SSAB and Fortum explore possibilities for the production of hydrogen-reduced sponge iron in Raahe

The FEED study will explore the possibilities of making fossil-free sponge iron at an industrial-scale in Raahe and of building a hydrogen production plant. The study is scheduled to complete in the first quarter of 2024.

The initiative is a natural continuation to an ongoing joint research project FFS – Towards Fossil-free Steel, which began in February 2021 and is supported by Business Finland.

In January 2022, SSAB's Board of Directors made a policy decision to transform Nordic strip production and to make it largely carbon dioxide-free in around 2030. During 2022, SSAB made and delivered 500 tonnes of fossil-free steel.

March 2023 saw another important step when SSAB introduced SSAB Zero, a carbon dioxide-free steel based on recycled scrap and made using fossil-free energy. When SSAB converts the Oxelösund mill, it will be able to use a flexible mix of fossil-free sponge iron and scrap as the raw material to produce steel without carbon dioxide emissions, starting in the fourth quarter of 2026.

*FEED = Front-End Engineering Design, is an engineering design approach used to control project expenses and thoroughly plan a project before a fixed bid quote is submitted.

For further information, please contact:
Viktoria Karsberg, VP Head of Corporate Identity and Group Communications, +46 72 233 5288 
Hanna Hoikkala, press officer SSAB, [email protected], +46 73 655 1117