Germany outlines ‘leading markets’ concept for green steels

Germany’s economy ministry has issued a concept paper titled “Leading markets for climate-friendly materials”, seen by Kallanish.

“Green leading markets” ought to support demand for green steel and encourage investment in new industrial technologies, the ministry writes. “Our vision is a wind power plant made of green steel and mounted on a foundation of green cement. And an electric car which does not only roll without emitting CO2, but is made of green steel, too,” says economy minister Robert Habeck. The idea of green leading markets puts the focus on steel-using markets, “because even the best product is useless without buyers”, Habeck adds.

An initial step is to define at which point materials can be considered “green”, the minister notes. He welcomes the introduction of the Low-Emission Steel Standard – LESS – which was introduced by steel federation WV Stahl at the Hannover Messe last month.

In a reaction statement, WV Stahl approves of the ministry’s concept as a move to support industry’s transition using economic instruments. “WV Stahl especially encourages efforts to align public investment on the procurement of carbon-reduced products and technologies,” says its director, Martin Theuringer.

Germany’s steel recycling federation, BDSV, also found positive words for the ministry’s move. It has especially welcomed the explicit mention of secondary materials, which would be supported with a label that testifies to the share of scrap used in steel production.

Christian Koehl Germany

kallanish.com