The challenge we face
The world faces enormous challenges in the 21st century: from climate change to increasing pressures on natural resources, from the lifestyle expectations of those in the developed world to tackling poverty at the base of the pyramid in emerging markets. These issues have a direct impact on businesses as well as governments, civil society, and individuals.
Businesses are expected to report more openly, act more responsibly, protect the environment, and support their local communities. All of these factors pose risks to companies as large as ours if we fail to manage them. But they also present us with enormous opportunities from the commercial potential of new greener products to the innovation potential of a new generation of people entering our industry.
Related news & technical articles
ArcelorMittal Europe to produce ’green steel’ starting in 2020
15 October 2020ArcelorMittal Europe announces details of the CO2 technology strategy that will enable it to offer its first green steel solutions to customers this year (30 000 tonnes), scale up this offering in coming years (to reach 120 000 tonnes in 2021 and 600 000 tonnes by 2022), deliver its 30% CO2 emissions target by 2030, and achieve net zero by 2050.
Corporate NewsWind energy: steels for towers and turbines
13 October 2020With existing wind towers using up to 180 tonnes of heavy plate and hundreds of individual towers in a wind farm, the logistics of ensuring just-in-time deliveries of steel are critical for success. ArcelorMittal’s global footprint enables us to meet the needs of some of the leading players in this market – wherever they are located.
Product NewsSteel is the power behind renewable energy
Headlines throughout the world reveal that a global energy transition is underway. Oil and gas and electricity companies are announcing massive investments and strategic moves that embrace renewable energy.
Article1500 solar panels for Industeel supported by Magnelis®
25 August 2020Despite the challenges of COVID-19 on our daily and professional lives, some projects have continued and have even been successfully completed these past months. Since March 2020, Industeel's site in Charleroi, Belgium has been equipped with 1512 photovoltaic panels on its roof. The green electricity generated will allow Industeel to produce cost-efficient steel while reducing its CO2 footprint. The panels have been fixed on a steel structure coated with Magnelis®.
Project News
ArcelorMittal Europe to produce ’green steel’ starting in 2020
ArcelorMittal Europe announces details of the CO2 technology strategy that will enable it to offer its first green steel solutions to customers this year (30 000 tonnes), scale up this offering in coming years (to reach 120 000 tonnes in 2021 and 600 000 tonnes by 2022), deliver its 30% CO2 emissions target by 2030, and achieve net zero by 2050.
Click here to learn more: ArcelorMittal Europe to produce ’green steel’ starting in 2020
Wind energy: steels for towers and turbines
With existing wind towers using up to 180 tonnes of heavy plate and hundreds of individual towers in a wind farm, the logistics of ensuring just-in-time deliveries of steel are critical for success. ArcelorMittal’s global footprint enables us to meet the needs of some of the leading players in this market – wherever they are located.
Our solutions
Our heavy plate is used to construct both the tower and, in offshore installations, the jackets that keep the turbine stable on the sea floor. ArcelorMittal is also working with wind turbine developers to create the next generation of towers which are lighter and do not require welding.
We also supply non-oriented fully processed electrical steels for the medium and high-power generators which sit at the top of the wind tower. These steels possess all of the required magnetic properties to maximise the amount of energy each turbine can produce.
Offshore wind farms
Our steels for offshore structures offer improved workability and weldability and can be supplied thermomechanically rolled or normalised. They can be utilised in applications such as platforms and equipment for new fixed wind towers.
ArcelorMittal can conduct the following tests if required:
- Ultrasonic testing
- Reduced Carbon Equivalent (CEV) or Parameter Crack Measurement (PCM) values
- Transversal impact tests
- Improved deformation properties perpendicular to the surface of the product as per EN 10164 (Z test)
- Post-Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) test
Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Images: ArcelorMittal, Majeczka/Shutterstock.com, Andrea Crisante Pedrosala/Shutterstock.com
Related link(s)
Steel Solutions Provider to the Global Wind Energy Industry
ArcelorMittal – the Leading Supplier of Steel Solutions for the Global Wind Energy Industry!
Steel is the power behind renewable energy
Headlines throughout the world reveal that a global energy transition is underway. Oil and gas and electricity companies are announcing massive investments and strategic moves that embrace renewable energy.
Steel: a key material in a less carbon-intensive world
Renewable energy, which includes solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and others, is at the centre of the transition to a less carbon-intensive society, which also puts steel at the centre of the conversation.
“Steel is required by each of these markets. Without steel, none of the renewable energy sources would be possible. Every renewable energy structure – a wind turbine, a solar panel - requires steel,” says Johannes De Schrijver, CEO of ArcelorMittal Projects.
An expansion of renewable power capacity
According to the International Energy Agency, renewable power capacity is set to expand by 50% between 2019 and 2024. This increase of 1200 GW is equivalent to the current total power capacity of the United States. Solar is expected to account for nearly 60% of the anticipated growth and onshore wind 25%.
Steel will play an important role in all renewables, including and especially solar and wind. Each new MW of solar power requires between 35 to 45 tons of steel, and each new MW of wind power requires 120 to 180 tons of steel.
The solar market
The solar market is divided into two areas. The first are smaller-scale rooftop panels mounted on homes, museums, and stadiums. The second is utility-scale projects, which are larger consumers of steel. These plants produce a standard 100 to 300 MW of energy while some in development are approaching 1000 MW.
Johannes De Schrijver notes: “These are basically small power plants, football fields full of solar panels. If you consider that each new MW requires 35 to 45 tons of steel, that’s a tremendous opportunity for us. This is an area that has our attention.”
Solar technologies
Solar power plants use three technologies, all of which use steel in the structure on which the PV modules or mirrors are attached:
- Solar Photovoltaic (PV) – panels are mounted on a fixed or moving structure that allows the panel to be optimally oriented to the sun throughout the day; the moving structure is gaining ground on the fixed structure with tracker technology accounting for half of all PV structures by 2025.
- Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) - panels with lenses that focus the sun’s ray on a small cell with a much higher energy generation capacity.
- Concentrator Photovoltaics (CPV) - converts sunlight to electricity by PV cells made of semiconductor materials; usually the material is salt, which becomes liquid and generates steam to create electricity.
ArcelorMittal has been a key player in supplying steel to major solar projects around the world including the Beryl Solar Farm in Australia and Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai as well as solar farms in Chile, Egypt, France, Israel, and the United States. The company is also finalising agreements with power-generating companies on solar plants using CSP or CPV technologies. One is the first of its kind that combines both Solar PV and CSP for a revolutionary capacity of 950 MW of energy.
Steel in the wind energy market
Steel is also a major contributor to wind energy, which can be grouped into three key markets:
- Onshore wind farms - relatively small and produce between 2 and 3 MW of power per turbine. A variety of steels is used for the structural tower itself, the house of the turbine, the turbine blades, plus electrical steels for electricity generation
- Offshore wind farms - much larger, with recent turbines producing 5 to 8 MW of energy. Offshore wind consumes more steel than onshore and is an area of interest among investors. Offshore has two advantages: the ability to go much higher with no obstructions and the free flow of wind. Offshore requires a combination of steels to support the huge foundations that are anchored to the sea bed. Steel is also found in the structural tower itself and the blades, which are much thicker and longer.
- New generation wind farms – these wind farms go the distance, literally. These farms will be built even further from shore, requiring a floating structure. Each turbine will produce 7 to 12 MW of energy.
ArcelorMittal: supplying steel to windfarms
ArcelorMittal has been a supplier of steel to some of the world’s largest windfarms, including:
- BorWin3, a 900 MW offshore wind grid connection in the German North Sea.
- East Anglia One, a 714 MW wind farm in the North Sea off the coast of England.
- Greater Changhua, a 2.4 GW wind farm in the Taiwan Strait.
ArcelorMittal Global R&D plays an important role in supporting this market through the development of new steel products and solutions:
- Magnelis®, a breakthrough corrosion resistant steel product, has enjoyed much success in the solar energy market. Magnelis® is the industry’s reference product for ground mounted structures and the product of choice in harsh outdoor and indoor environments.
- A-motion is a new steel solution for solar panels created by ArcelorMittal. A-Motion is a single-row, self-powered, and wireless solar tracker which features a wind-friendly design dimensioned to be safe in any position with no stow position required. With a limited number of components, a global supply chain with possibilities of local content and reduced O&M, the product answers the market’s needs.
“The future of steel in the energy transition is exciting,” says Johannes De Schrijver. “As the world’s largest steel producer with extensive downstream capabilities and fabrication and construction knowledge, we are in an excellent position to provide safe, sustainable steel for the future of energy.”
Text: ArcelorMittal
Images: ArcelorMittal
Related link(s)
1500 solar panels for Industeel supported by Magnelis®
Despite the challenges of COVID-19 on our daily and professional lives, some projects have continued and have even been successfully completed these past months. Since March 2020, Industeel's site in Charleroi, Belgium has been equipped with 1512 photovoltaic panels on its roof. The green electricity generated will allow Industeel to produce cost-efficient steel while reducing its CO2 footprint. The panels have been fixed on a steel structure coated with Magnelis®.
A strong illustration of sustainability
With this project, ArcelorMittal reinforces its commitment to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and CO2 emissions reduction across all facilities. This project represents one more step towards sustainability and a cleaner future while reducing expense and generating positive EBITDA savings.
Throughout the 20 years of the contract life, the supplier PERPETUM will take on the full maintenance and operations of the panels and will guarantee both the performance and the output of the panels. After 20 years, the panels will belong to Industeel Belgium and will continue to produce energy. The electrical power of each panel is 320 Wp (watt-peak). This corresponds, with southern exposure, to an expected annual global electricity production of 500 MWh, which is equivalent to the energy consumption of 120 households.
Protected by Magnelis®
Industeel worked with Green4Power, who invested in the project, and entrusted the supply, assembly, and commissioning to PERPETUM. The structure supporting the 1512 solar panels was entirely built with Magnelis® - a product of ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products - in grade ZM310 and produced in Liège.
Magnelis® is an exceptional metallic coating with a chemical composition including zinc, 3.5% aluminium, and 3% magnesium. This unique composition allows Magnelis® to provide an unprecedented level of surface and cut-edge protection against corrosion even in the most hostile environments.
This project was successfully completed thanks to the excellent teamwork between Industeel and the European Procurement Organisation's energy efficiency projects team, who implement various energy efficiency projects including on-site solar photovoltaic projects on the roofs and land of ArcelorMittal sites.
"The renewable energy generated by these 1500 solar panels supports us in achieving ArcelorMittal's ambition to be CO2 neutral by 2050," concludes Alex Nick, CEO Industeel.
Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications
Images: Marc Burton, Energy Management and Optimisation, Industeel Belgium
Related link(s)
Solar panels for Industeel Charleroi roof with Magnelis®
Industeel Charleroi solar panels with Magnelis®
Green ArcelorMittal
We are committed to leading the way in which the world views steel and championing steel’s role in creating high quality, sustainable lifestyles for people all over the world.
Leading the way with 10 sustainable development outcomes
Our new sustainable development framework focusses on 10 outcomes we need to achieve for steel to be one of the world's most sustainable materials. Pursuing these outcomes, a result of both analysis and consultation, allows us to be better prepared to respond to long-term trends and manage our stakeholders’ expectations more effectively.
Useful information
MoreEnvironmental impacts of our products
Our local communities and stakeholders trust us to share the vital resources of air, land, and water because we operate responsibly and transparently, and we have clearly improved our impact.
We understand these impacts and work collaboratively to protect and enhance the natural capital we and our communities and partners rely on.
Developing greener steel products
Commercial designers and manufacturers, as well as end-users, choose steel for products that need strength and durability. They make that choice because they understand steel contributes to more a sustainable lifestyle.
Therefore, we are continuously designing more energy-efficient products using materials that can be re-used and recycled and produced using fewer resources and without negative consequences for the environment or society.