Stegra bets on Sines, Portugal
Swedish greenfield venture H2 Green Steel is changing its name to Stegra, Kallanish learns. The company also says its prospective project in Portugal has received power allocation.
H2 Green Steel was launched in 2021 to build the world’s first large-scale green steel plant, with start of production scheduled in 2026. “The team continues to prove that it is possible to do more and to change things fast, also in an industry that has for a long time been considered difficult to decarbonise. As we continue this journey, we leave our more descriptive project name behind, and take on the name Stegra, which reflects our long-term ambitions,” says company chief executive Henrik Henriksson.
“Stegra is a Swedish word which means ‘to elevate’,” Henriksson explains. “It is a constant reminder of the company’s purpose and honours our Swedish roots and where it all began in Boden (northern Sweden).”
Stegra also notes it has a “solid funnel of potential projects” outside of Sweden that are being explored as part of a longer-term outlook. It is looking at locations which offer abundant access to renewable electricity and strong grid connections. Locations under consideration include Portugal, Canada and Brazil.
“Presently, a project in Portugal, where the site selection has been made and land reserved near Sines, is the most advanced. Notification on substantial allocation of the power needed has been made to Stegra and our local value chain partnerships continue to evolve,” says Henriksson.
The firm said in June it was looking at Portugal as a viable location for HBI production (see Kallanish passim).
Christian Koehl Germany
Megasa to improve energy self-sufficiency in Portugal
Portuguese long steel producer SN Maia, part of Grupo Megasa, will significantly increase the use of renewable energy in its production, Kallanish notes.
The steelmaker says it is transforming its energy matrix with the installation of more than 8,000 photovoltaic solar panels at the production site near Porto. The execution of the project has been awarded to the company Greenvolt Next Portugal.
The modules will have the capacity to produce a 5.06 megawatt peak, with an average annual production of 8,127 MWh.
“With this investment we show our commitment to the energy transition, betting on the use of renewable energy,” says Megasa’s executive director for Portugal, Álvaro Álvarez. “We plan to expand the use of renewable energy and reduce our dependence on the national electricity grid. The authorization process for the installation of solar panels in our SN Seixal unit is in a very advanced phase and is already being evaluated by local authorities.”
The Maia and Seixal operations produce wire rod, rebar and welded mesh.
Todor Kirkov Bulgaria
