Advertise on podcast: The Green Steel Challenge

The European steel industry is facing an existential crisis: energy prices are high, demand from key sectors is weak, and cheap imports are affecting competitiveness. How can decarbonisation go ahead in these challenging conditions? In the first episode of Season 4, we sit down with Stefan Rauber, CEO of Saarstahl and chairman of the SHS - Stahl-Holding-Saar GmbH & Co. KGaA group, which has embarked on a €4.6 billion programme to shift toward green steel by building two electric arc furnaces and a DRI plant, alongside increased use of hydrogen. In conversation with The Green Steel Challenge co-hosts, Astrid Korf and James Moss, Stefan talks through the company's decarbonisation plans and how it's leaning into its multi-century experience to build the steel industry of the future. The discussion covers European carbon policy, the green steel premium, decommissioning, and buyers' demand for low-carbon products, finding an answer to a difficult question: is it economically worth it? Access our comprehensive Green Steel Glossary at Kallanish Commodities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As season 3 of the Green Steel Challenge draws to an end, join Astrid, James and Mike as they reflect on the highlights. Since January, a lot of ground has been covered through an eclectic mix of industry perspectives, from Tata Steel’s view on electrification and wider system change, to geologic hydrogen with Koloma, advanced nuclear power with newcleo, and the growing strategic value of scrap in the steel transition. With insights from leaders at U. S. Steel, Vale, UK Steel and others, the second half of the season has examined the practical business strategies, policy choices, and technology pathways shaping the future of steel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marcel Genet, Independent Steel & Metals Consultant and Founder & Managing Director, Laplace Conseil in Neuilly, France. Marcel has been a consultant in the steel industry for 47 years, first with McKinsey & Company, where he built and led the Firm’s Global Steel Practice. 1995, he founded Laplace Conseil, a boutique strategy firm, where he has predominantly worked with the scrap recycling and EAF minimill sectors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gareth Stace, Director General of UK Steel, the voice of the UK steel industry. Gareth represents producers at a critical moment, where competitiveness, energy costs, and decarbonisation are colliding From policy and trade to the realities of transitioning legacy assets, he sits right at the intersection of industry and government, helping shape what the future of British steel will look like. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave Burritt, President and CEO of US STEEL, one of the most iconic names in global steel. Under Dave’s leadership, U.S. Steel has gone through a fundamental transformation: reshaping its asset base, investing heavily in electric arc furnaces, and positioning itself for a lower-carbon future, while still operating some of the most demanding blast furnace assets in the world. And of course, he led the groundbreaking partnership between U. S. Steel and Japan’s Nippon Steel. Dave is known for being pragmatic rather than ideological when it comes to decarbonization. He talks about what can scale, what can be financed, and what can actually be delivered in today’s steel markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Kinzel has a degree in chemical engineering and PhD in process engineering. Peter started his career at Paul Wurth (today SMS Group) in 1999, has been living for 11 years abroad in South America, Chile and Brazil enabling him to gain experience in several ferrous and non ferrous processes. Since 4 years Peter is working on reducing the CO2 footprint for the traditional BF/BOF route by introducing the BLUE blast furnace and EASyMelt concept. Fluent in 5 languages and having a strong process background. Participation in over 30 patent families as well as co author in many scientific publications. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest is Stefano Buono, physicist, entrepreneur, and CEO of Newcleo, a company developing next-generation reactors that run on recycled nuclear waste. We’ll dive into how advanced nuclear could provide clean, reliable power and heat for green steel – from hydrogen production to electrified plants – and what it would take to bring this from concept to reality over the next two decades. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We welcome from Brazil, Rogério Nogueira, Executive Vice President of Vale. Vale is one of the world’s largest producers of high-grade iron ore and nickel, headquartered in Brazil, with major operations across South America, Asia, and the Middle East. The company supplies a significant share of the global steel industry and plays a central role in the decarbonisation of iron and steel value chains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Partner at World Steel Dynamics. World Steel Dynamics is a leading strategic information service that tracks, models, and forecasts steel industry trends — from pricing and trade to decarbonization and technology disruption. John joined us two years ago in Season 1 of the Green Steel Challenge, offering one of the most thoughtful takes on the structural changes shaping the steel industry.This time John would like to focus on scrap. Scrap is no longer a by-product — it’s the backbone of green steel. In this conversation, we’ll dive into where the scrap market is headed, who will win or lose in the global reshuffling, and what role policy, quality, and innovation will play in unlocking its full potential. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pete Johnson, CEO and co-founder of Koloma, based in Denver, Colorado. Koloma is focused on exploring and developing geologic (or “natural”) hydrogen as a new low-carbon energy source.If Koloma succeeds, it could transform the economics and availability of hydrogen – this could be a game-changer for decarbonising heavy industry. We’ll discover what geologic hydrogen is, how it’s found, and what it could mean for the future of green steel. Pete is offering us a fascinating glimpse into the future of clean hydrogen and its potential to transform the way we think about energy and industrial decarbonisation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

T. V. Narendran, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel, based in Mumbai in India. Tata is one of the world’s most respected steel companies. We’ll discuss how Tata Steel is reimagining steelmaking through innovation, electrification, and new technologies. His perspective reminds us that the road to green steel is not just about new technology—it’s about rethinking systems, partnerships, and the economics of sustainability. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Andy Marsh has served as CEO of Plug since April 2008, guiding the company’s transformation into a global leader in the hydrogen economy. Under his leadership, Plug has built the industry’s first vertically integrated green hydrogen ecosystem—spanning production, storage, delivery, and power generation—to help customers decarbonize at scale and achieve energy independence. A forward-thinking executive with deep technical expertise and a strong commercial focus, Marsh has led Plug’s strategic evolution from a fuel cell pioneer to a full-spectrum hydrogen solutions provider. His vision and leadership have positioned Plug at the forefront of the global energy transition, delivering breakthrough technologies and building long-term partnerships with industry leaders like Amazon, Walmart, and Home Depot. Prior to Plug, Marsh was co-founder and CEO of Valere Power, a power solutions company serving the telecommunications industry. Under his leadership, Valere grew into a profitable global operation with more than 200 employees and $90 million in revenue, ultimately leading to its acquisition by Eltek ASA in 2007. During his tenure, Valere earned numerous accolades, including the Tech Titan Award and Red Herring’s Top 100 Innovators. Marsh is a recognized thought leader in the hydrogen and clean energy sectors. He is the former Chair of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA), a member of the Hydrogen Council, and serves on several boards, including GEVO, the UAlbany Economic Advisory Board, and the Northern Ireland Delegation. He holds a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from Duke University, an MBA from Southern Methodist University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Temple University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Tancock is the CEO of InterContinental Energy, a global leader in large-scale green hydrogen development who has been at the forefront of the industry for more than 10 years. Under his leadership, the company has pioneered a portfolio of groundbreaking projects, with its three flagship projects attracting partnerships from some of the largest names in energy. With backing from major institutional investors like GIC and Hy24, InterContinental Energy has established itself at the forefront of the green molecule sector. The company’s innovative team and approach extends beyond project development, and into giga scale enabling technology through its patented P2(H2)Node TM architecture. Alex's expertise and strategic insights make him a significant voice in the energy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steligence is ArcelorMittal’s science-backed construction philosophy that treats buildings as holistic, “living” entities—promoting integrated collaboration between architects, engineers, and developers to optimize flexibility, cost, and sustainability. It leverages a tailored suite of steel products and modular design to deliver measurable benefits like faster construction, lighter foundations, and reduced embodied carbon. Ultimately, Steligence accelerates demand for green steel by providing concrete design frameworks that enhance economic and environmental performance in buildings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.