Swedish energy company Vattenfall has announced that it has signed an agreement with Swedish special steel manufacturer SSAB to supply 120 tonnes of fossil fuel-free steel to build the world's first carbon-free dam gate.
The gate will be installed at the Vattenfall Stornorrfors hydroelectric power station in northern Sweden in 2028, marking a major milestone in the industrial decarbonization.
Hydroelectric power plant built from fossil fuel-free steel
Stornorfors hydroelectric power station, located on the Uma River, is Sweden's largest hydroelectric power station, operating since 1958 with an installed capacity of 603 MW and four turbines.
The new fossil fuel-free dam gates will be made using sponge iron produced at SSAB's Hybrit pilot plant in Luleå, where hydrogen replaces coal in the iron reduction process, virtually eliminating carbon emissions from steel production. This technology reduces the climate impact by approximately 200 tons of carbon dioxide compared to using traditional blast furnace steel.
The order is part of Vattenfall's fossil fuel-free strategy, which aims to achieve net zero emissions across the entire value chain by 2040.
