The campaign was launched by a coalition of non-profit organizations
A coalition of nonprofit organizations launched the Race to Green Steel campaign to encourage automakers to use green steel in their cars. This is stated on the initiative's website.
“Due to the heavy reliance on the coal industry, steel is currently responsible for 30-50% of car emissions. Clean energy technologies, such as green hydrogen, have the potential to replace coal in the steel production process, but the industry must start scaling up this technology today,” the initiative states.
The campaign is the result of a joint effort led by the Climate Group (#SteelZero), Industrious Labs, CALSTART Green Steel Program and The International Council on Clean Transportation. The aim is to support companies in developing green steel targets and investing in innovative technologies.
Most car manufacturers have already committed to reducing emissions from their supply chains. At least two major US companies, Ford and General Motors, have signed contracts to supply low-carbon steel. Mercedes-Benz and Volvo have also signed preliminary agreements to purchase green steel produced in factories being built in Sweden by SSAB and H2 Green Steel.
The Race to Green Steel campaign aims to build on car manufacturers' past efforts in this area and increase pressure on the steel industry to build facilities that run on hydrogen or renewable energy.
In particular, the initiative proposes that car manufacturers assess the environmental impact of the steel products they currently use and commit to purchasing at least 10% low-carbon steel by 2030.
As the GMK Center previously reported, by 2050, the share of low-carbon technologies in the steel industry will more than double, from the current 26% to more than 60% of total steel production. The prediction was made by Alexander Fleischanderl, Global Head of Green Steel at Primetals Technologies, at a specialized conference.
