A New Green Steel Process Brings A 1980's Concept To Life

The article highlights the emerging green steel industry as a critical component of the global climate economy, focusing on the Massachusetts-based startup Boston Metal. Despite the US currently lagging in green steel investment and policy momentum, Boston Metal has secured $400 million to commercialize an innovative, emission-free steelmaking process. This technology, developed over 40 years from research at MIT, uses a molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) cell that replaces traditional coal-based coke with electricity from renewable sources, enabling the conversion of any grade of iron ore into pure liquid metal without CO2 emissions. The process also simplifies steel production by eliminating the need for complex steps, process water, and carbon capture systems. The article also situates green steel within the broader context of decarbonizing materials critical to clean technologies, such as electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure. Conventional steelmaking accounts for about 8% of global CO2 emissions, making green steel essential for reducing the embodied carbon footprint of automobiles and cleantech equipment.