{
  "id": 10497594,
  "title": "Stahlindustrie: „Mut für Deutschland“ – Merz und Rehlinger loben grünen Stahl",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/stahlindustrie-mut-fur-deutschland-merz-und-rehlinger-loben-grunen",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-28T17:45:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/stahlindustrie-mut-fuer-deutschland-merz-und-rehlinger-loben-gruenen-stahl/100258052.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz declared that the transformation of Germany's steel industry towards \"green steel\" was making the nation proud. In Saarland, where the shift to producing less carbon-intensive steel was already underway, Merz stated that maintaining domestic steel production was crucial for the country's prosperity. Saarland's Minister-President Anke Rehlinger (SPD) hailed the transformation of the Saar steel industry as a \"model of transformation,\" emphasizing the region's leadership in the endeavor.\n\nThe transformation of the Saarland's steel industry, costing approximately 4.6 billion euros, would be funded by a combination of federal and regional support, with the remaining 2.6 billion euros coming from the industry itself. Major steel producers, such as Thyssenkrupp in Duisburg and Salzgitter AG in Niedersachsen, were involved in their own retooling projects. The steel industry was a significant contributor to Germany's carbon emissions, making its transformation vital for achieving climate goals. According to a SHS spokesperson, the transformation in Saarland was currently on track, with new buildings completed in Völklingen and Dillingen, and large-scale construction beginning.\n\nGreen steel is typically produced using the least carbon-intensive hydrogen, replacing coal and coke in traditional blast furnaces to extract iron from ore without emitting climate-warming carbon dioxide. In carbon-free production processes, the steel is labeled as \"green.\" Hydrogen plays a central role in green steel production, replacing coal and coke. The Saarland's new facilities in Dillingen and Völklingen were expected to cut CO2 emissions by up to 55 percent by the early 2030s, with 4.8 million tons annually. Full carbon neutrality was targeted for 2045. The process began using natural gas, transitioning to hydrogen. This represents the largest decarbonization project in Europe, stated SHS Chairman Stefan Rauber. \"We are beginning the era of CO2-reduced steel production.\"\n\nHydrogen currently costs significantly more than fossil alternatives. Experts anticipate that costs will decrease but remain at least twice as expensive as grey hydrogen derived from natural gas by 2030. Green steel is therefore considerably more expensive than conventionally produced steel. Even with government subsidies, the economics of CO2-reduced steel production remain questionable. Additionally, green hydrogen is currently insufficiently available. Saarland was constructing a hydrogen pipeline connecting Dillingen to Leidingen near the French border, with the Dillinger Hütte set to be supplied with 6,000 tons of hydrogen annually by 2029. Dillingen would connect to Germany's hydrogen backbone network by 2032/2033. A challenge for the German steel industry was the import of cheap steel from outside Europe, often produced under less stringent environmental regulations. The EU Commission introduced regulations on July 1 to protect the domestic steel industry by limiting and partially increasing the cost of cheap imports. International competitiveness in energy prices and labor costs were deemed essential, stated Rauber. Creating green markets through government contracts to drive demand for CO2-reduced steel was also urgently needed. Chancellor Merz praised Saarland's involvement in the German startup \"Y-SIC,\" which developed a patented process for producing high-purity silicon carbide. The material, primarily required by the semiconductor industry, was expected to begin production in Dillingen the following year. This underscored the importance of recognizing that economic transformation was underway, even as many still questioned its success, Merz remarked.",
  "summary": "Wasserstoff statt Kohle: Im Saarland ist der Umbau der Stahlindustrie hin zu klimafreundlicherem grünen Stahl in vollen Gange. Welche Herausforderungen es gibt.",
  "key_points": [
    "Chancellor Merz praises green steel as making Germany proud",
    "Saarland's steel transformation funded by €4.6 billion",
    "Green steel production aims for 55% CO2 emission reduction"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Handelsblatt",
        "title": "Grüner Stahl: Merz: Deutschland braucht eigene Stahlerzeugung",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/gruner-stahl-merz-deutschland-braucht-eigene-stahlerzeugung",
        "published": "2026-09-28T15:51:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}