The three-year project, Towards Carbon-Neutral Metals, or TOCANEM, brings together companies such as Outokumpu, Ovako, Metso Outotec and SSAB and several Finnish universities. Among them is the University of Oulu, which is coordinating the project.

With an initial budget of EUR18 million, the effort will lay a groundwork for the large investments required for carbon-neutral metals production, the consortium said. 

“The project will lead the metals production industry toward the carbon-neutrality target set in Finland, and it promotes strategic renewal of the ecosystem,” said University of Oulu professor Timo Fabritius, who is the project’s principal investigator. 

Outokumpu said in a statement that the project will support the fundamental research necessary to reduce the intensity of carbon emissions. 

“Teaming up with a consortium will allow the use of best research resources and provide access to technologies outside of our current capabilities,” said Juha Erkkilä, head of group sustainability, excellence and reliability at Outokumpu.