Volvo has announced plans to manufacture cars using fossil fuel-free steel by 2026. The company is partnering with Swedish steel firm SSAB to source steel made with hydrogen.
Volvo has announced plans to manufacture cars using fossil fuel-free steel by 2026. The company is partnering with Swedish steel firm SSAB to source steel made with hydrogen.
Generally, steel is made by combining iron with a carbon-rich form of coal called “coke” in a blast furnace. The process produces large amounts of carbon dioxide as a byproduct and has proven to be one of the more intractable barriers to curbing global CO2 emissions. SSAB plans to produce steel with hydrogen in lieu of coal, using fossil fuel-free electricity.
Volvo estimates that steel accounts for 35 percent of the carbon emissions associated with the production of its gas- and diesel-powered cars, the Guardian reported. Swapping coke with hydrogen is expected to cut steel-related emissions by upwards of 90 percent.
Read more at: Yale Environment 360
