AWS partners with SSAB for fossil-free steel using HYBRIT technology, reducing data center construction emissions. This aligns with AWS's net-zero carbon goal by 2040 and renewable energy plans.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a partnership with SSAB, a Swedish steelmaker, to supply fossil-free steel for constructing one of its three new data centers in Sweden. Scheduled for completion by mid-2025, these facilities will also incorporate roof and wall structures from SSAB's subsidiary, Ruukki.
AWS's construction strategy emphasizes sustainability, employing materials such as low-carbon concrete and steel. Currently, most steel used by AWS is sourced from recycled scrap processed in electric arc furnaces (EAF), which produce only a quarter of the emissions of traditional blast furnaces.
The agreement highlights SSAB’s HYBRIT technology, which replaces coking coal with hydrogen produced from fossil-free electricity, reducing steelmaking emissions to just one-tenth of those from conventional methods. SSAB’s forthcoming fossil-free mini-mill in Luleå, Sweden, is expected to cut Sweden’s CO2 emissions by 7%.
Thomas Hörnfeldt, VP of Sustainable Business at SSAB, stated, “By choosing steel made with the HYBRIT technology, AWS shows it’s possible to reduce the carbon footprint of data center construction regardless of whether the steel is made from scrap or virgin iron ore.”
AWS is also investing in innovative methods to meet growing global steel demand, as current supply is insufficient to support its sustainability goals. The company remains committed to achieving net-zero carbon by 2040, aligning with its broader renewable energy initiatives, including recent investments in nuclear energy to address data center energy needs.
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