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Steel crisis in Bremen: Mayor Bovenschulte is pissed off!
Bremen in focus: Protests against ArcelorMittal's decision to cancel green steel production - future of the industry uncertain.
Steel crisis in Bremen: Mayor Bovenschulte is pissed off!
The signs are pointing to a storm in Bremen: More than 1,000 employees at ArcelorMittal's steelworks protested today against the company's decision to stop the planned switch to environmentally friendly hydrogen production. Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte, who supported the demonstration, expressed himself “deeply disappointed and furious” about this decision, which is seen as a massive setback for Bremen as a business location and the jobs there. He demanded a clear commitment to the steel industry from Bremen and German politics in order to secure the future of the steelworks. “We must do everything we can to preserve jobs and create a sustainable economic perspective,” emphasized Bovenschulte. Mirror reports a unanimous outcry from the workforce, who fear for their future.
The reasons for the cancellation of the multi-billion dollar project are obvious. ArcelorMittal cites “lack of economic viability and low availability of hydrogen,” which makes the necessary switch from coal to hydrogen produced from renewable energy impossible. Loud daily news The contract for funding has already been signed, which included a total of 1.3 billion euros from the federal government and the state of Bremen. The company states that the decision not to take this opportunity is due to high energy costs and competition from cheaper suppliers from China putting a strain on the industry. The prospect of achieving CO2 reduction targets by 2030 also seems unrealistic to them.
Hydrogen and steel production
The use of hydrogen for steel production is considered to be pioneering. However, the current market situation raises the question of whether this approach is actually viable for ArcelorMittal. Traditional steel production is primarily via the blast furnace route, while the electric arc process (EAF) is increasingly seen as a sustainable alternative. Scrap is melted in electric arc furnaces, which leads to significantly lower CO2 emissions. Swiss Steel Group emphasizes that by using 100% green electricity and using the EAF process, material consumption can be optimized and natural resources can be conserved.
What future does the steel industry have in Germany, which is known to be one of the leading production locations in the EU? The Bremen Senate and Brandenburg's Prime Minister have announced that they will work hard to preserve jobs. However, the path of steel production is rocky. Up to 88,000 people in Germany are employed in this industry, which is one of the country's largest CO2 emitters.
ArcelorMittal's decision to cancel the changeover is therefore of enormous importance not only for the employees, but also for the entire industry. Companies are required to continue to find innovative solutions to meet the challenges of the market and climatic requirements. It currently remains to be seen whether alternatives such as the electric arc process or the promotion of hydrogen projects in other companies can offer real prospects. The discussion about the future of steel production in Germany will certainly continue to intensify.