ArcelorMittal Europe electrical steels help GE Vernova accelerate renewable energy projects deployment

GE Vernova’scommitment to powering the planet is now fully focused on the energy transition.  

The company estimates that GE Vernova products deliver around 30-percent of electricity worldwide across an installed base generating approximately 2,200GW of power. 

GE has always been a technology leader in the power sector and has a suite of complementary technology including gas-fired power, onshore and offshore wind, hydro, small modular reactors, battery storage, hybrids and grid solutions needed for the energy transformation. 

To create its highly efficient products and services, GE Vernova makes extensive use of electrical steels produced by ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products. While most of these steels are used in Europe, the resulting products are deployed worldwide.  

The relationship between ArcelorMittal Europe and GE Vernova is built on legacy gas turbine generators which convert natural gas to electrical energy. Today that focus has shifted to alternative fuels, like hydrogen. Ben Holmes, Senior Commodity Manager for GE Vernova, explains: “GE Vernova is active in every energy generation segment and provides solutions needed for the energy transformation. We also utilise ArcelorMittal’s electrical steels in electrical motors for ships and production equipment. That includes the electrical motors ArcelorMittal utilises in its steel rolling equipment.” 

Ben Holmes, Senior Commodity Manager for GE Vernova

Mardyck important for future supply

A key growth area is renewable energy. “This industry segment is predicted to grow exponentially over the next five to ten years,” notes Ben Holmes. “It will lead to significant additional demand for electrical steels in the years to come. ArcelorMittal’s investment in its new electrical steels production facility in Mardyck (France) has the potential to help us aim to meet that demand.” 

“ArcelorMittal’s Mardyck announcement came at a time of rapidly growing demand for electrical steels in Europe,” says Ben Holmes: “The new capacity will help GE Vernova to meet the challenges of the energy transition as we move through this decade.” 

ArcelorMittal has also continued to invest in its existing electrical steel mill at St-Chely d’Apcher (France) to supply the increased demand for electrical steels from customers and help them meet the challenges of the energy transition. The investments in St-Chely d’Apcher and Mardyck will provide the market with local capacity and volumes and ease concerns over long-term supply of electrical steels. 

Developing future products

“A key advantage of ArcelorMittal’s current offerings is the diversity of steel grades and sizes” notes Ben Holmes.  

“We’re constantly looking for opportunities to provide better performance to enhance the efficiency of our electrical machines,” says Ben Holmes. “The ArcelorMittal Europe team continues to provide support with a view to developing new electrical steel products. ArcelorMittal are positioned to potentially have a key role to play in our supply chain.” 

Carbon neutrality by 2030

Sustainability is another area that is becoming increasingly important for GE Vernova as it looks to the future notes Ben Holmes: “We have set the goal of aiming to achieve carbon neutrality in our facilities and operations by 2030. As part of that process, our renewable energy business partners with EcoVadis – a leading provider of business sustainability ratings – to audit our operations. EcoVadis will look at the performance of our suppliers such as ArcelorMittal. The assessment covers environmental factors as well as corporate governance and social considerations.” ArcelorMittal’s XCarb^® initiative could make a positive contribution to this assessment.” 

ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products has two XCarb^® products available:

• XCarb^® green steel certificates 
• XCarb^® recycled and renewably produced steels

XCarb^® green steel certificates can be purchased with an order of any ArcelorMittal product to be used to reduce the customer’s Scope 3 emissions related to the purchase of our steels. 

XCarb^® recycled and renewably produced steels are made using renewable electricity and high amount of recycled steel scrap through the EAF (Electric Arc Furnace) steel production route. XCarb^® recycled and renewably produced steels have a physical CO₂e footprint which is up to 70-percent lower compared to steels produced via the traditional blast furnace route.

While electrical steels are not yet available via the XCarb^® recycled and renewably produced route, many other steels have been added to the portfolio over the past year. That includes steels which can be used as the substrate for high-strength automotive parts, plates for wind turbine towers, and the steels used in any other application like electrical cabinet housings,  cable gutters or support frames for solar panels.