SSAB has agreed to supply fossil fuel-free steel for the production of Alstom’s hydrogen-powered trains.
The steel, dubbed SSAB Zero, is the “world’s first” commercial steel made of recycled steel and produced with renewable electricity and biogas.
Alstom’s Traxx Shunter is reported to be compatible with hydrogen, battery and catenary systems. The Traxx Shunter H is a hydrogen locomotive that combines fuel cell and battery technologies to achieve zero carbon emissions, which will be further enhanced with SSAB’s steel.
The first delivery of SSAB Zero is expected to happen this year. H2 View understands the collaboration supports Alstom’s 2030 goal of reducing emissions from produced goods and services by 30%.
“We are proud to work with companies like Alstom that prioritise reducing fossil carbon emissions in their materials with a clear and ambitious target to decarbonise,” claimed Huy Nguyen, Sales Director for SSAB in southern Europe.
“At SSAB, we a committed to largely eliminating CO2 emissions from the steelmaking process and to create a fossil-free value chain with our customers and partners.”
In addition to its fossil-free fuel, SSAB is developing a hydrogen-based steel production supply chain and even delivered hydrogen-produced steel to Volvo in 2022, to support its electric truck production.
Read more: Volvo delivers electric trucks featuring hydrogen-produced steel to Amazon and DFDS
However, last year a study carried out by SSAB and Fortum deemed that producing hydrogen-reduced sponge iron at SSAB’s steel plant in Finland was not viable due to there being no commercial agreement.
Having completed the study, the companies agreed it was “not possible to find a commercial arrangement,” with no further steps agreed.
Read more: SSAB and Fortum conclude Finnish hydrogen-reduced sponge iron plans are not viable
Fortum stated it would continue to work on its Nordic strip steel production, with the outcome of the FEED study not affecting its wider work.
The plans were set to bolster SSAB’s plans to make its own production “largely fossil-free” by around 2030. SSAB has now said it a new mini-mill-based production system will be built in Raahe, Finland, and Luleå, Sweden.
“A decision on the order of investments in Raahe and Luleå is expected next year (2024),” the company said.
