H2 Green Steel’s extensive work at Boden Industrial park is progressing. Recently, the so-called piling began, bringing the work one step closer to completion.

Just a few minutes outside the city of Boden, a historic industrial area is emerging, the Boden Industrial Park. On H2 Green Steel’s part of the site, preparations are in full swing. Europe’s first new steel plant in 50 years will be built here, along with what is currently the world’s largest hydrogen plant and areas for both natural values and more industrial ventures next door.

The initiative is not only of local, regional and national importance. With its climate ambitions, it has the potential to influence Europe’s entire transition to green industry.

Boden Industrial Park covers a total of 550 hectares, of which the H2 Green Steels site is 270 hectares. The area of the steel plant is 2×1 km. In addition, there is the hydrogen plant of 0.5×1 km.

Record fast process

On July 1, 2022, H2 Green Steel received permission from the Land and Environment Court to establish a steel plant. H2 Green Steel were then able to start earthworks and some construction. The decision on the full environmental permit and operation of the steel plant was announced on June 1, 2023 and enables the company’s continued work in the area. The authorization process has taken only 1.5 years, a record time. Similar processes are otherwise described as taking six to eight years.

“We have focused on dialog and accessibility, rather than bureaucracy. We have also tried to be as proactive as possible at all stages. It has been highly appreciated by the authorities involved in the negotiations,” explains Ida Westberg, General Counsel at H2 Green Steel.

Earthworks

H2 Green Steel has worked intensively to move large amounts of soil from the north to the south of the site to level the ground. By processing and redistributing soil mass, they reduce the amount of transportation that would otherwise occur when soil is removed and new material such as crushed rock and moraine is brought in to level other parts. Instead, they create their own fill material which is reused within the area.

In addition, they are doing ground reinforcement measures such as mass stabilization in the area where the first DRI tower will be located. The tower will be 141 meters high. This is where iron ore will turn into sponge iron.

Piling

After the latest decision that gave H2 Green Steel a full environmental permit from the Land and Environment Court in Umeå, the piling work could also begin. Pile foundation is a way of carrying out soil reinforcement measures. This will be done at the site of the steel mill itself and will also be piled at the planned site of the DRI tower.

On site there is also blasting going on and a large number of heavy vehicles move around daily. Therefore, the road into the site is closed for safety reasons. Access is not allowed to the public.

A viewing tower is being planned to give the public an overview of the area. There are already good views from Gruvberget for those who want to see. At the H2 Green Steel meeting point in the Enter mall in central Boden, there is also a model of the whole area and staff who can tell you more. The work can also be followed on H2 Green Steel’s local Instagram and Swedish website.

Many milestones in place

During the spring, pieces have been added to the complex puzzle required to build and commission such a large industrial investment:

• Binding customer agreements with Mercedes Benz, SPM, BILSTEIN GROUP, Marcegaglia, Cargill, Scania and ZF are secured.
• Cooperation with the Port of Luleå as H2 Green Steel’s primary logistics and transportation hub.
• Cooperation with Finnish Fortum and complementing the previously announced Norwegian Statkraft in the energy portfolio for carbon-free electricity supply.
• Full environmental permit to build and operate steel plant granted.
• Preliminary decision on the allocation of power to the installation.
• Signed technical supplier thyssenkrupp nucera for one of the technologies that will be used in the plant’s electrolyser.
• Great progress on the groundwork at Boden Industrial Park.
• Logging started for the planned infrastructure corridor into the area.