From left: Jens Hardell, Luleå University of Technology, Eva Petursson, SSAB, Joakim Odqvist, KTH and Jukka Kömi, University of Oulo.

Seminar at Luleå University of Technology raises the issue of fossil-free steel

Recently, leading actors in the steel industry and academia gathered at Luleå University of Technology to discuss and share insights on the development of fossil-free steel. The seminar, organized by Luleå University of Technology within the framework of their initiative on sustainable fossil-free steel, called FINAST, shows the increasing importance of sustainability in steel production.

- The interest in fossil-free steel is continuously increasing, steel companies are of course driving the issue, but also producers of components and products made of steel see an increased demand and requirements from their customers to be able to offer solutions in fossil-free steel, says Jens Hardell, professor of machine elements at Luleå University of Technology and director of FINAST.

Representatives from SSAB, the University of Oulo and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), among others, were present to share their latest research findings and innovations in the field. Discussions focused, among other things, on the challenges and opportunities that arise when striving to reduce the steel industry's carbon dioxide emissions and shift to renewable energy sources.

- We hope that the seminar will raise awareness and knowledge about the large research projects that are ongoing in Sweden and Finland in the field of fossil-free steel production. We hope to contribute with a platform where academia, institutes and industry can meet and create new networks and collaboration opportunities, says Jens Hardell.

What does the seminar mean for the university's investment in fossil-free steel?

- It is an important part of our dissemination of information about and from the project to both industry as well as other researchers who are active in the parallel initiatives that are underway. For the university, it creates important visibility and marks that we run a large number of projects in this research area, concludes Jens Hardell.

• FINAST (Research and Innovation in Norrbotten for Advanced Green Steel Production and Manufacturing)