ThyssenKrupp's Duisburg plant, built in 1973, is transitioning from traditional coke and iron ore furnaces to hydrogen-based reduction plants to reduce carbon emissions. This shift aims to make the steel production process carbon neutral, but it comes with high costs and challenges, including securing sufficient hydrogen supply. The German government is providing €7 billion in subsidies to support this transformation, while the EU has pledged additional financial aid to protect the industry from cheaper competitors.
Despite these efforts, the demand for green steel remains low, and the high costs and lack of hydrogen sources pose significant hurdles. Workers at the new plant are cautiously optimistic, hoping for strong political support to ensure the success of this costly transition to environmentally friendly steel production.
This video summary was created by AI from the original DW script. It was edited by a journalist before publication.