Inside Germany’s Plan to Replace Coal in Steelmaking

Coal does more than heat an iron furnace. It helps remove oxygen from the ore. At Salzgitter in Germany, the SALCOS program is building a different route: reduce the ore with gas, then melt the resulting iron alongside scrap in an electric arc furnace. Follow the material from iron oxide to sponge iron and steel—and follow the energy back to the hydrogen plants, electricity supplies, and networks that must support the process. The first large stage is planned for 2027, initially relying mainly on natural gas before a greater shift toward hydrogen. How does the chemistry work? Why can’t scrap solve the whole problem? And what must happen beyond the furnace before the new route can deliver its intended emissions cuts at a workable cost? Subscribe to Inside German Industry for more investigations into materials, energy and industrial change. Which part of the steelmaking transition deserves a closer look? Share your thoughts in the comments. #SALCOS #Steelmaking #GermanIndustry