On Monday, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck announced the long-awaited funding commitment for the conversion of the Bremen steelworks. The federal government supports the switch to climate-neutrally produced steel at ArcelorMittal’s locations in Bremen and Eisenhüttenstadt. “Everything has been clarified,” said the Green politician at a company staff meeting in Bremen. The final step from Brussels is still missing with the notification, but the workforce can rely on the funding.
Bremen waited for the decision for more than two years. The EU Commission had previously granted approval for the steel manufacturers Salzgitter AG, Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe in Duisburg and Stahl-Holding-Saar in Saarland. This is the prerequisite for the federal and state governments to contribute to the conversion costs.
ArcelorMittal also wants to convert its production to climate-neutral steel. To achieve this, the two blast furnaces are to be shut down and replaced by a so-called direct reduction plant (DRI). This system works with environmentally friendly hydrogen. Electrically operated melting furnaces are also expected to replace conventional steel converters. The group wants to start producing climate-neutral steel in the second half of the 2020s.
