Explore the Brussels summit, the price tags of green‑steel factories and how a book‑and‑claim system could speed up low‑emission steel adoption.
The Kallanish Green Steel Strategies 2026 conference is slated for 10 November 2026 in Brussels, bringing together policymakers, steelmakers and financiers to confront the fast-moving decarbonisation landscape. With geopolitical volatility and tightening carbon regulations reshaping corporate roadmaps, the event promises to surface the most urgent trade-offs facing the industry, from hydrogen rollout delays to the impact of the European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
Attendees will hear from a roster that includes Linde’s Global Director of Commercialisation, EY’s CEO, Midrex’s chief technical officer and senior EU policy leaders from Hydnum Steel.
Key topics on the Brussels agenda
The programme clusters around five pillars. First, speakers will diagnose the “current challenges facing the steel industry,” highlighting how the United States’ ESG and renewable-energy policies have diverged from earlier expectations.
Second, the panel on “CBAM and ETS – stimulating investment and shifting trade flows” will unpack how the full implementation of the border-adjustment tax is levelling the European playing field while reshaping import-export dynamics for iron ore and scrap.
Third, a session titled “Accelerating the development of ‘green’ steel markets” will examine strategies for unlocking private capital and scaling hydrogen-based direct-reduction iron (DRI) projects.
Fourth, experts will discuss the “future landscape of raw-material resources,” noting that the Simandou mine in Guinea is poised to deliver high-grade ore by late 2025, potentially easing supply constraints for low-carbon producers. Finally, the conference will close with a forward-looking look at “decarbonisation of steel production – progress and prospects for projects, unlocking investment,” where the feasibility of large-scale green-steel plants will be debated.
Financial picture of building a green-steel facility
According to the latest market research, the global green-steel market stood at USD 60.9 billion in 2025 and is projected to climb to about USD 101.2 billion by 2034, reflecting a CAGR of 5.8 % driven by stricter carbon policies and buyer demand for low-emission inputs. Translating that demand into capacity requires significant capital. A small-scale plant (500-750 kt/yr) typically demands between USD 1.5 billion and USD 2.5 billion, covering hydrogen or renewable-power reduction units, electric arc furnaces (EAFs), casting lines and supporting utilities. A mid-size operation (750-1 Mt/yr) pushes the investment envelope to USD 2.5-3.5 billion, adding greater automation, expanded DRI modules and larger renewable-energy interfaces.
Large-scale projects (1-1.5 Mt/yr) can exceed USD 3.5 billion, often incorporating high-capacity electrolyzers, advanced cooling systems and comprehensive environmental safeguards. These figures are anchored in a business-plan framework that breaks down capital outlays, operating expenses and revenue streams under current carbon-pricing regimes. The analysis stresses four attractive investment vectors: the tightening of regulatory pull, the emergence of premium markets for verified low-carbon steel, the high climate impact potential of decarbonising steel, and the growing willingness of customers—particularly in Europe and the Asia-Pacific—to lock in offtake contracts for green products.
Book-and-claim: a market-based shortcut to net-zero steel
The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has proposed a book-and-claim (B&C) system tailored to iron and steel. This mechanism separates the verified environmental attribute of a steel batch from its physical delivery, issuing environmental attribute certificates (EACs) that can be bought by entities unable to source green steel directly. Producers gain an ancillary revenue stream, while purchasers acquire a transparent way to claim emissions reductions.
Early adopters illustrate the model’s traction. Swedish producer Stegra has already sold EACs linked to its non-prime steel output, with Google agreeing to purchase certificates covering up to 91,000 tonnes of future production, and Microsoft having signed a similar deal a year earlier. Stegra’s spokesperson highlighted that “there is clear demand for near-zero-emission steel and a willingness to pay a premium where carbon costs exist.” RMI’s proposal calls for a secure registry to issue, transfer and retire certificates, and robust verification standards to prevent double-counting, thereby preserving climate integrity and market confidence.
While the B&C framework is not yet a formal certification standard, its rollout could accelerate the scale-up of green-steel capacity by mobilising capital from buyers across sectors—automotive, construction, renewable-energy—who can now support low-carbon production even when physical supply chains lag behind. Continued collaboration among steelmakers, certifiers and major off-takers will be crucial to refine the system and embed it into global procurement practices.
In sum, the Brussels summit, the detailed cost breakdowns of new facilities, and the emerging book-and-claim scheme together sketch a comprehensive roadmap for the steel sector’s transition. Stakeholders leaving the event will carry a clearer sense of the policy levers, financial commitments and market mechanisms needed to bring truly low-emission steel from concept to commodity.
