“I’m incredibly proud that our globally unique pilot plant has now been completed. It is a milestone in the transition to fossil-free steel. We aim to be the first to market, in as early as 2026, with fossil-free steel,” said SSAB president and chief executive Martin Lindqvist. 

“We have the chance to revolutionize the entire steel industry and show that net-zero emissions is possible. We must seize this chance,” he added.  

The plant is the core of the companies HYBRIT project, which, if successful, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10% in Sweden and 7% in Finland, as well as contribute to reducing steel industry emissions in Europe and globally.

Ground was broken in 2018 to begin building the pilot plant for fossil-free sponge iron.

HYBRIT will perform tests in several stages in the use of hydrogen in the direct reduction of iron ore. The hydrogen will be produced at the pilot plant by electrolyzing water with fossil-free electricity. The HYBRIT framework also includes a testing period to replace fossil oil with bio oil in one of LKAB’s existing pellet plants in Malmberget.

Along with Lindqvist, starting up the plant were Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, Minister for Environment and Climate and Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lövin, LKAB president and chief executive Jan Moström, and Vattenfall president and chief executive Magnus Hall.

“Right now we have a historic opportunity to do things that provide jobs here and now – but also hasten the climate transition that everyone realizes is necessary. Today, we are laying the foundations that will enable the Swedish steel industry to be entirely fossil- and carbon dioxide- free in 20 years,” said Löfven.