Mercedes-Benz takes stake in H2 Green Steel; to begin use of green steel in 2025
26 May 2021
Mercedes-Benz AG is the first car manufacturer to take an equity stake in Swedish start-up H2 Green Steel (H2GS) as a way to introduce CO2 free steel into series production. Together with its steel suppliers, the company is retooling its supply chain to focus on the prevention and reduction of CO2 emissions rather than compensation.
With an equity stake in H2 Green Steel, Mercedes-Benz is sending an important signal to accelerate change in the steel industry and increase the availability of carbon-free steel. As a first step, we are investing a single-digit million amount. As a preferred partner of the start-up, we will be launching green steel in various vehicle models as early as 2025.
—Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG; responsible for Daimler Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars COO
A Mercedes‑Benz sedan is, for example, made from about 50% steel, which accounts for about 30% of CO2 emissions in production. With the partnership, Mercedes-Benz is tackling one of the biggest challenges in the automotive industry on the road to CO2 neutrality.
By using a new, innovate manufacturing process, the production of steel at the supplier level is CO2 free. By contrast, steel produced using a classic blast furnace, emits an average of more than two tons of CO2 per ton. In the new process, the supplier uses hydrogen and electricity from 100% renewable energy sources instead of coking coal in steel production.
The hydrogen serves as a reduction gas, which releases and binds the oxygen from the iron ore. Unlike the use of coking coal, this does not produce CO2, but water. The supplier uses electricity from 100% renewable sources for the energy requirements generated in the manufacturing process.
Mercedes-Benz and all its steel suppliers are working consistently to reduce CO2 emissions in the steel supply chain on the way to producing green steel. In addition, the company is committed to a responsible steel supply, relying on the application of recognized standards and robust certificates. Mercedes-Benz is a member of the Responsible Steel Initiative and is actively involved in the development of a certifiable sustainability standard for the steel industry.
H2 Green Steel (H2GS) was founded in 2020, and aims to build a large-scale fossil-free steel production facility in northern Sweden. H2GS will produce 5 million tons of fossil-free steel by 2030. H2GS will establish operations in Boden and Luleå. The founder and largest shareholder is Vargas, which is also co-founder and one of the largest shareholders in Northvolt.
The partnership with HSGS is another step towards CO2 neutrality, which Mercedes-Benz is pursuing as part of Ambition 2039, its goal to achieve a fully connected and CO2-neutral vehicle fleet in 2039—eleven years earlier than the EU legislation requires.
How much extra will it cost ?
I can see the likes of Mercedes and BMW and other luxury car makers using it to "green up" their cars, but I can't see it being used in rebar and other low cost applications.
Posted by: mahonj | 26 May 2021 at 11:11 AM
Specialty steel using electric heat
Posted by: SJC | 26 May 2021 at 10:46 PM