Vestas and ArcelorMittal are building on their low carbon-emissions steel production partnership to supply heavy plates for the Nordlicht 1 offshore wind farm project, being developed by Vattenfall off Germany’s North Sea Coast. This is the second project between the two companies involving XCarb® recycled and renewably produced heavy plates.
ArcelorMittal's XCarb® recycled and renewably produced heavy plates, based on slabs made with a minimum of 95% high quality steel scrap and 100% renewable electricity in an electric arc furnace, have a 65% lower carbon footprint than heavy plates made via the conventional blast furnace route. The low carbon-emissions heavy plate has an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certified by an independent party.
As wind turbines become larger and more powerful, the dimensions of the towers will also increase to support higher weights and loads: towers become taller, heavier and with larger diameters, therefore requiring longer steel plates. “We have invested significantly in our plate mill in Gijón at Asturias in Spain to produce the long plates that are essential for wind tower structures.” says Denis Parein, Sales and Marketing director ArcelorMittal Heavy plates Europe.
“In addition, ArcelorMittal developed a specific offer, XCarb® recycled and renewably produced heavy plates, making it the only steel producer in Europe able to supply low carbon emissions heavy plate steel in large dimensions and weight, minimising the need for welding and associated CO2 emissions.”
The Nordlicht 1 project follows on from the Baltic Power offshore wind farm development off the coast of Poland, which was the first in Vestas’ and ArcelorMittal's low carbon steel production partnership and the first wind project worldwide to use low emission steel.
Vestas is committed to science-based decarbonisation of its own operations and its supply chain. Incorporating low carbon-emissions steel into the top two sections of an offshore tower translates to a 25% reduction in emissions, compared to using steel from the conventional steelmaking route.
“Reducing emissions from raw material extraction and steel production is critical for driving decarbonisation across the wind industry. Our partnership with ArcelorMittal and the integration of low-emission steel is an important lever to help achieve this. The commitment from customers like Vattenfall is key to making such solutions scalable, and the Nordlicht Offshore Wind Project showcases how we can deliver concrete sustainability value together”, says Lisa Ekstrand VP and Head of Sustainability at Vestas.
Developed by Vattenfall the Nordlicht wind farm is located off Germany's North Sea coast some 85 kilometres north of the island of Borkum. Itis divided into two sites Nordlicht 1 and Nordlicht 2.
Arthur Besse, Head of Procurement - Strategy & Partnerships at Vattenfall comments:“Collaboration across the entire value chain is crucial to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 and building a fossil-free future. Steel is one of the biggest sources of emissions in the wind industry, so we’re proud to partner with Vestas in bringing a lower-carbon steel solution to the Nordlicht project. This milestone wouldn’t be possible without the strong commitment of end customers. Together, we’re making meaningful progress in reducing the carbon footprint of our supply chain.”
Construction of Nordlicht 1 is set to begin in 2026, with the wind turbines expected to be installed in 2027. The entire wind farm is due to be fully operational in 2028 and is expected to generate approximately 6 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity annually, enough to power 1.6 million German households.
Nordlicht 1 has a capacity of around 1 GW. The site will be composed of 68 Vestas V236-15.0 MW wind turbines. The wind farm will feature turbine towers partially made with low carbon-emissions steel, and Vestas has again selected ArcelorMittal as the sole low carbon-emissions heavy plate supplier for the project.
XCarb® is ArcelorMittal’s low carbon-emissions steel initiative supplying low carbon steel to a range of industries including Energy, Infrastructure, Transport and Construction. The slabs for XCarb® recycled and renewably produced heavy plates are produced in the ArcelorMittal electric arc furnace (EAF) steel mill at Industeel Charleroi in Belgium.
Denis Parein added: “We are committed to driving the steel industry's transition towards a lower carbon future. By supplying low carbon-emissions steel for the largest offshore wind farm in Germany, we are again proving that it is possible to rely on European-made sustainable steel for large industrial and energy projects. Such initiatives should be widespread, we are ready to deliver! We are looking forward to continue working closely with our long term partner, Vestas, on more wind farm projects based on XCarb® in the near future.”
Denis Parein, Sales and Marketing director Heavy plates Europe and Oliver Dreier, SVP Direct Material Procurement Director at WindEurope 2025 in Copenhagen
XCarb® recycled and renewably produced Heavy Plates being produced at ArcelorMittal’s Gijon plate mill (Asturias, Spain)
Vestas is the energy industry’s global partner in sustainable energy solutions. The company designs, manufactures, installs, and services onshore and offshore wind turbines worldwide. With more than 189 GW of wind turbines installed across 88 countries, Vestas has deployed more wind power than any other company. Through industry-leading smart data capabilities and an extensive service portfolio covering more than 155 GW of wind turbines, Vestas leverages data to interpret, forecast, and optimize wind resources, delivering best-in-class wind power solutions. Supported by more than 35,000 employees, Vestas collaborates with customers to provide sustainable energy solutions that power a bright future.
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XCarb® recycled and renewably produced
Copyright pictures: Vestas, ArcelorMittal
