In the far north of Sweden, a quiet industrial revolution is unfolding. Just outside the town of Boden, surrounded by dense boreal forests, construction is underway on Europe’s first newly built steel plant in over 50 years — and it's powered entirely by green hydrogen.
Led by Swedish startup Stegra, this €6 billion project isn’t just about steel — it’s about demonstrating that zero-carbon heavy industry is within reach. When operations begin in late 2026, the facility is expected to produce 2.5 million tonnes of fossil-free steel annually, with plans to scale to 4.5 million tonnes in the coming years.
Steel is indispensable to modern infrastructure — but also one of the world’s dirtiest industries, responsible for around 7% of global CO₂ emissions. Traditional blast furnaces rely on coal to reduce iron ore, locking in massive carbon footprints.
Stegra is changing the equation. Instead of coal, its plant will use green hydrogen produced onsite from hydropower-based electrolysis. The hydrogen feeds a Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) process, where iron ore is converted into sponge iron in a 100-meter-tall reduction tower. The only by-product? Water vapor.
The result is a process that cuts emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional steelmaking — and positions Sweden as a global leader in green industrial transformation.
This isn't a pilot or proof of concept. The Boden facility is designed from day one for commercial scale and reliability. Stegra has secured 28 long-term offtake agreements with major industrial buyers, including Scania, Volvo, Porsche, and Electrolux — many of whom are willing to pay a 25% premium for fossil-free steel.
These contracts are structured as "take-or-pay" agreements, meaning customers are obligated to purchase the contracted volume or pay regardless — providing strong financial stability for Stegra’s operations.
To power the hydrogen electrolysis, 37 electrolyzer units are being installed in a dedicated area of the site, separated by a lake whose biodiversity has been intentionally restored. These will be fed by Sweden’s abundant renewable hydropower, ensuring low operational costs and true sustainability.
Unlike some failed cleantech ventures, Stegra is deliberately using well-established technologies. Its team includes nearly 900 professionals, many of whom have worked on large-scale steel or hydrogen projects in the U.S., Qatar, India, and beyond. Former Scania executive Henrik Henriksson leads the company, bringing both industry credibility and strategic vision.
Even geopolitical challenges have not derailed the project. Given the site’s proximity to the Finnish border, Sweden’s military required Stegra to move the plant’s location by one kilometer — a delay that did not deter the ambitious timeline.
Stegra’s plant is coming online just in time. With the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) phasing in from 2026, carbon-intensive steel imports will become significantly more expensive. European manufacturers are already racing to secure clean alternatives to meet both compliance and ESG goals.
This facility offers a scalable, EU-aligned solution for the next generation of industrial materials — not only lowering emissions, but helping decarbonize supply chains in automotive, appliances, and infrastructure.
By building a hydrogen-powered steel plant from scratch — not retrofitting old infrastructure — Stegra offers a compelling model for industrial decarbonization. It integrates clean power, circular thinking, and strong market demand to deliver results that are both environmentally and economically viable.
As net-zero goals tighten across Europe, the Boden project stands as proof that deep decarbonization of heavy industry is not only possible — it’s happening.