• Fossil-Free Collaboration: SSAB to supply AWS with fossil-free steel using HYBRIT® technology for new data centers.
• Sustainable Construction: Steel to be used in Ruukki’s roof and wall structures, reducing carbon emissions.
• Innovative Impact: Partnership sets a new standard for decarbonizing data center infrastructure.

SSAB has entered a collaboration agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deliver fossil-free steel for AWS’s three new data centers in Mälardalen, Sweden. Utilizing SSAB’s unique HYBRIT® technology, the steel will be incorporated into roof and wall structures by SSAB’s subsidiary Ruukki.

Why it matters: This partnership represents a significant step toward reducing carbon emissions in data center construction, aligning with both companies’ sustainability goals.

The details:

• AWS’s Approach: While primarily using steel made from recycled scrap to minimize emissions, AWS acknowledges the limitations of scrap availability. The collaboration with SSAB and Ruukki secures pilot deliveries of virgin steel made with HYBRIT technology.
• HYBRIT Technology: Developed by SSAB in partnership with LKAB and Vattenfall, HYBRIT replaces traditional coking coal with hydrogen produced from fossil-free electricity. This process emits water vapor instead of CO₂, significantly cutting emissions in steel production.

What they’re saying:

Thomas Hörnfeldt, VP of Sustainable Business at SSAB, stated:

“We are thrilled to welcome AWS as a new partner. By choosing steel made with the HYBRIT technology, AWS shows it’s possible to reduce the carbon footprint of data center construction regardless of whether the steel is made from scrap or virgin iron ore.”

Kellen O’Connor, Managing Director Europe North at AWS, commented:

“Reducing the embodied carbon associated with the construction of our data centers is a key priority for AWS as we work to achieve net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040. By partnering with innovative local companies like SSAB and Ruukki, we’re taking an important step to decarbonize the materials used in our data centers and set a new standard for sustainable infrastructure. We’re excited to be working with companies at the forefront of low-carbon virgin steel production.”

The big picture: Traditional steelmaking accounts for about 7% of global CO₂ emissions. SSAB’s initiative aims to revolutionize steel production, creating a fossil-free value chain and inspiring industry-wide change.

Looking ahead: This collaboration not only advances AWS’s sustainability objectives but also demonstrates the feasibility of large-scale, low-carbon construction projects, potentially influencing future infrastructure development worldwide.

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