Building the future of steel
During ongoing steel production and processing operations, the Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH site is being converted to a low-CO2 production process. Up to 1,000 construction site employees are working here on the steel of the future, so that from 2033 onwards, up to 8 million more tonnes of carbon can be saved annually than today.
Steel is a key material for numerous industrial sectors and therefore of fundamental importance to the German and European economies. Steel is indispensable for the manufacture of many everyday products and plays a central role in the technologies of the future, energy supply, transport infrastructure and the defence sector. This is also the reason why, in terms of sustainability, carbon-reduced production will have a positive impact on so many supply and value chains.
A vision becomes reality
The path to achieving this goal is not easy and began for Salzgitter AG back in 2015. Under the name of 'SALCOS®', the project has been transforming the vision into physical reality since construction got underway in Salzgitter in 2023. The first phase includes the construction of a 100 MW electrolysis plant for the on-site production of green hydrogen, the construction of a direct reduction plant for the low-CO2 reduction of iron ore, and the construction of an electric arc furnace.
These are joined by major infrastructure measures, such as a 380 kV grid hook-up and a mega media corridor to supply the energy required for all production processes.
One of the first SALCOS® milestones was the Salzgitter Wind Hydrogen project. The hydrogen currently required by the plant is already being produced electrolytically in cooperation with its partners. Photo: © Salzgitter AG
Photo: © Salzgitter AG
Electric arc furnace – turning scrap into sustainable steel
At the Peine site, some one million tonnes of steel are already produced annually from scrap, a small portion of which is also processed by Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH. In the future, the Salzgitter site will then have its own electric arc furnace capacity.
Direct reduction plant –the centrepiece of the new steel production route
The assembly crane towers roughly 100 metres above the site, and work on the steel structure for the reactor tower, which will ultimately achieve a height of about 140 metres, is progressing steadily.
Much of the plant engineering has already been installed, and the new production route is scheduled to go into operation in 2027. This will herald a new and environmentally friendly era in steel production.
Electrolysis plant – 9,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year
On 12 February, ground was broken for one of the largest green hydrogen production facilities in Europe. Once operational, the 100 MW plant will produce around 9,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year for the new blast furnace route's own use.
With construction progressing, the vision takes shape
This means that the entire project is now underway to bring further low-CO2 steel products to market as early as 2027. And the goal of establishing 95 % reduced, and thus virtually CO2-free, steel production on completion of the transformation is now within reach. The SALCOS® vision is taking shape.
Photo: © Salzgitter AG
The use of carbon-reduced steel – two examples from the field
Carbon-reduced steel production will find expression on the environmental balance sheets of numerous products and companies. Two pioneering projects illustrate its significance and impact.
Application in the steel production cycle
On behalf of Salzgitter AG subsidiary DEUMU (Deutsche Erz- und Metallunion GmbH), SENNEBOGEN has built its first materials handler made from carbon-reduced steel. The use of 100 per cent scrap steel has resulted in over 70 per cent lower carbon emissions than the conventional steel production process in blast furnaces. "We think ahead, which is why our company's future viability is also tied to the efficiency, sustainability and forward-thinking approach we bring to our developments, products and, ultimately, to the benefits for our customers," says Erich Sennebogen, Managing Director of Sennebogen Maschinenfabrik GmbH. This is yet another trailblazing project that will send a powerful signal to the entire machine manufacturing industry.
Key part of the sustainability strategy
Wind turbine manufacturer ENERCON, Salzgitter AG subsidiary Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH and SMB Schönebecker Maschinenbau GmbH have collaborated on the production of a wind turbine for the Diepholzer Bruch wind farm project (Lower Saxony). It is one of the first onshore wind turbines in Europe with a tower made of low-emission steel.
"We as a company have set ourselves the goal of reducing the level of indirect emissions by 40 per cent by 2030," says ENERCON Chief Operating Officer Heiko Juritz. "Low-emission steel contributes significantly to further improving wind turbines’ carbon footprint. We are delighted to be a pioneer in the onshore market in Germany and Europe in cooperation with our partners."
