ArcelorMittal, ABB partner to use low carbon steel in power distribution system

Steelmaker ArcelorMittal has partnered with ABB to use its low carbon XCarb steel in the latter’s Kabeldon power distribution system to help reduce the carbon footprint of key electrification equipment by 29%, the companies said in an Oct. 21 statement.

Xcarb steel is made with high levels of minimum 75% recycled steel in an electric arc furnace and 100% renewable energy to manufacture material with CO2e emissions up to 70% lower than conventionally produced steel.

Under the sustainable sourcing agreement, AB had managed to use XCarb steel to lower the manufacturing carbon footprint of its Kabeldon product by 60kg CO2e, a 29% reduction, they said.

Kabeldon was designed for outdoor environments to provide safe, reliable and weather-resistant power distribution, with wide usage for electric vehicle charging infrastructure and renewable energy applications.

ABB Electrification said it would premiere the Kabeldon cabinet featuring XCarb recycled and renewably produced steel and coating at the energy transition event Enlit Europe to be held Oct. 22-24 in Milan, Italy.

“ABB people are passionate about introducing circular business models that increase the lifetime of materials and products -- and collaborating with supply partners to introduce more sustainable alternatives,” ABB Smart Power President Massimiliano Cifalitti said in the statement, adding that by using XCarb steel, Kabeldon would help customers reduce their power infrastructure’s environmental footprint.

ABB has committed to covering 80% of ABB products and solutions with ABB’s Circularity Approach by 2030, with the company saying the successful embedding of XCarb would contribute directly this commitment.

“Our mills and technical teams worked closely with ABB experts throughout to prove that solutions made with our low carbon emissions materials deliver ABB’s trademark of reliability and performance,” ArcelorMittal Europe -- Flat Products CMO Industry Laurent Plasman said.

AcelorMittal also recently signed a 10-year agreement with The Velux Group to supply low-carbon XCarb steel.

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, assessed the daily Northwest Europe HRC carbon-accounted steel price at Eur620/mt ex-works Ruhr Oct. 18, down 21.5% since the start of 2024.