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 a steel based on scrap - with virtually zero fossil carbon emissions; SSAB Zero™. Together, these high-quality steel products will revolutionize the industry by products that practically eliminates the fossil CO2 emissions from the steelmaking.
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 emission-free steel adds value to your business by virtually eliminating the carbon emissions in the steel part of your value chain. Your sales contact can give you more information.
Both SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™, are steels with virtually zero fossil carbon emissions in SSAB operations. SSAB Zero™ is based on scrap. SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will be based on iron-ore produced without fossil emissions, 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.
The target of SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel are emission-free steels in terms of steelmaking and energy use and (Scope 1 and 2). 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 products.
The carbon emission targets of SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ are 0.0 kg fossil CO2e per kg steel from energy used and steelmaking. Carbon emissions will not be completely zero, but so small that we guarantee that it is less than 0.05 kg fossil CO2e per kg/steel, and thus rounded to 0.0. Typical corresponding values for iron ore-based steel produced in blast furnaces are ca 2.0 kg CO2e per kg/steel.
The fossil carbon emission targets of SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ including the raw material (Scope 1, 2 and 3 upstream) are less than 0.3 kg CO2e per kg/steel, compared with the typical values of 2.4 kg CO2e 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 virtually zero 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.
Both SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will be 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, 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 emission free.
SSAB Zero™ is steel made using recycled steel 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.
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 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.
SSAB Zero™ has virtually 0.0 kg fossil CO2e per kg/steel from energy used and steelmaking (Scope 1 and 2). The fossil carbon emissions are not completely zero, but so small that we guarantee that they are less than 0.05 kg CO2e 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 per kg/steel. Including the raw material (Scope 1, 2 and 3 upstream), the targeted fossil carbon emissions are 0.3 kg CO2e, compared with the typical values of 2.4 kg CO2e per kg/steel for iron ore-based steel made in blast furnaces.
SSAB launched SSAB Zero™ in March 2023. The order of product roll-out have been 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 virtually 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 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.
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 plan to produce two types of steel with virtually zero fossil carbon emissions in the steelmaking: SSAB Zero™ and SSAB Fossil-free™ steel. SSAB Zero is based on recycled steel. SSAB Fossil-free steel will be based on iron ore without fossil emissions. 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 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 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 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 scrap-based steel with virtually zero fossil emissions in the steelmaking, with no carbon emission offsetting, and with no mass balance or allocation of emission reductions.
Fossil free means that a product or service has been created without 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 gas 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 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 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.
SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will be 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.
The carbon footprint of the products will be documented in an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Our EPDs are third-party reviewed and follow strict European and international standards.
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. 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.
The primary advantage of SSAB Fossil-free™ steel will be that it is a material that has created virtually zero fossil 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 a low-emission 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 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 will be higher than standard steel, which means it will have 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 the HYBRIT® technology for fossil-free sponge iron and eliminating the fossil carbon footprint from the steel production process, SSAB will leave fossil fuels in the ground.