Opportunities and challenges for decarbonizing steel production by creating markets for ‘green steel’ products

The creation of a market for steel produced by less carbon-intensive production processes, here called ‘green steel’, has been identified as means supporting the introduction breakthrough emission reduction technologies into production. However, numerous details remain under-explored, including exactly what ‘green’ entails in context steelmaking, likely competitiveness green products domestic and international markets, potential policy mechanisms to support their successful penetration. This paper addresses this gap through qualitative research with sustainability experts commercial managers from leading trade associations, institutes steelmakers. We find that there is need establish common understanding ‘greenness’ steelmaking context, resolve various carbon accounting assurance issues, which otherwise have lead perverse outcomes opportunities greenwashing. identify set demand-side supply-side production, highlight combination policies ensure development avoid unintended consequences competition at three different levels: 1) between manufactured primary vs secondary route, 2) traditional, ‘brown’ steel, 3) other substitutable materials. study further shows automotive industry candidate demand, where could be supported price premiums paid willing consumers, such those high-end luxury heavy-duty vehicles.