Clean steel and green hydrogen. The EU outlook for the zero-emission industry of the future

Brussels – Getting to a zero-emissions continent with the support of the steel industry: The prospects of clean steel—even with the backing of such a crucial ally as green hydrogen—for Europe’s industrial future tie in closely with the EU’s policy priorities, particularly for achieving the Green Deal goals. “To achieve neutrality we need to invest and enable the transition; the steel industry can benefit from 700 million euros for innovation,” is the summary provided by the Director General of DG RTD (Research and Innovation) of the EU Commission, Marc Lemaître, in his speech at the “European Clean Steel: Stand up together for a future low emission industry” event organized today (January 25) in Venice by the Veneto Region and the European Research Executive Agency (REA) and moderated by Eunews editor-in-chief, Lorenzo Robustelli.

It was an opportunity not only to present Brussels’ policy priorities for steel but also to highlight the results of projects financed under the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) on improving the environmental footprint of the production process and to define the role of green hydrogen for the future of clean steel. “We have a production of 150 million tons per year, more than 300,000 skilled workers employed, and more than 2.5 million workers depend on it indirectly,” Lemaître began with data on the European steel industry, reminding that “this sector needs to be decarbonized in a short time frame: It is time to act and change it.” It is precisely from Brussels that a decisive push can come, given the fact that “100 million euros from RFCS and 100 million from Horizon Europe are available in 2024,” contributions that are “fundamental” for innovation but require “more active participation.”

European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA) director Marina Zanchi

The year 2024 “is an important year, with a call for proposals closing on February 7,” reminded HADEA Director Marina Zanchi, speaking about the implementation of clean steel partnership projects, “a crucial tool for collaboration with industries. “The EU Agency is funding 15 clean steel projects (70 million euros have already been used) in three main areas: “Circularity through scrap upgrading and enhancement, development and deployment of low-carbon technologies, and production process optimization,” Zanchi recalled. “Old production methods are no longer in line with the prospects of a greener Europe” in terms of “efficiency, reducing emissions, and creating a competitive economy,” she was echoed by the director of the European Research Executive Agency (REA), Marc Tachelet. That’s why REA, within the expanded portfolio to a clean steel initiative of DG RTD, has “identified eight projects for the development of new applications for transport, furnaces, and clean production equipment,” Tachelet explained.

The Director of the European Research Executive Agency (REA), Marc Tachelet

Under the spotlight is hydrogen in particular which, as assured by REA’s director, “thanks to the RePowerEu plan will play a key role in clean steel production.” Similar words were chosen by Director General Lemaître: “Hydrogen is a crucial ally for the production of clean steel, 30 per cent of production will have to be decarbonized by 2030 using precisely hydrogen.” In this sense, research and innovation “will also be needed to find other solutions and to support the deployment of new technologies for energy neutrality,” with a promise to the steel sector that the Commission will create “an agenda for better and faster deployment of these technologies”. On the ground, interest is “very high” in initiatives “such as those on clean steel linked to green hydrogen, which have the goal of decarbonization,” confirmed the Veneto Region’s Environment councillor, Gianpaolo Bottacin, in his opening remarks at the event in Venice. It is precisely hydrogen that can become “the challenge for the future” of the region and the entire continent: “Steel is a very energy-intensive business, if we manage to replace the fossil-based energy source with hydrogen, we can achieve great results,” Bottacin concluded.