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Global steel production will have to increase to supply enough steel for clean technologies

Global steel production will need to rise significantly to meet the demands of clean technologies, which rely heavily on steel for infrastructure and components. Clean energy sectors, such as wind and solar power, electric vehicles, and hydrogen production, require substantial amounts of steel. For instance, wind turbines are 70% steel. 1 The production of steel for wind turbines alone is expected to double throughout the 2020s. 2 Additionally, electric vehicles require steel for both the vehicle body and critical components like the battery casing, further driving demand.3

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Footnotes​

  1. Tovar, M. (2022, February 2). Why Europe’s Wind Industry Needs Decarbonised Steel. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/2022/02/decarbonised-steel-eu-wind-power/ ↩

  2. Mukherjee, I., & Sheridan, J. (2021, December 13). Assessing the significance of steel to the global wind industry. S&P Global. https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/ci/research-analysis/assessing-the-significance-of-steel-to-the-global-wind-industry.html ↩

  3. Tita, B. (2023, March 27). The Paper-Thin Steel Needed to Power Electric Cars Is in Short Supply. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-paper-thin-steel-needed-to-power-electric-cars-is-in-short-supply-dbd2a78e ↩