Microsoft signs up to ‘green steel’ commitment

Software giant Microsoft and carmaker Volvo have voiced their support for the newly founded Sustainable Steel Buyers Platform. They are some of the big names jointly planning to incorporate 2 million tonnes of ‘green steel’ into their operations. 

Microsoft hosted the recent NYC Climate Week, organised by think tank Rocky Mountain Institute. It underlined the importance of sustainable products made with ‘near zero emissions steel’. Other supporters include solar-hardware-maker Nextracker and US real estate firm Trammell Crow.

The companies point out that the 2 million tonnes pledge represents the annual output of an average-sized steelmaking plant. By pooling demand, they hope to accelerate a commercial shift towards sustainable steel.

The Sustainable Steel Buyers Platform was established to build a bridge between potential green steel buyers and steel manufacturers. The latter will have to make enormous investments retrofitting existing steelmaking plants – or build new ones.

‘Steel is a big contributor to the footprint of our products,’ acknowledges Andrea Fuder, chief purchasing officer of Volvo Group. ‘Working together with both established and new players for developing decarbonised materials is key to advancing our progress in sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions.’