Clean industry

Green steel

The economic case for green steel production at a Michigan steel mill

Cleveland-Cliffs’ Dearborn Works blast furnace is due for relining in 2027. Advocates say now is the time to convert it to new technology powered by clean energy.

By Kari Lydersen . 19 November 2024

Brown factory towers against a blue sky — Blast furnaces at a Michigan steel mill (Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

Clean industry

To decarbonize cement, the industry needs a full transformation

Cement production has an enormous carbon footprint. That can be curbed with plug-and-play solutions, but eliminating emissions entirely will require big, ambitious action.

By Jeff St. John . 24 October 2023
Video

Video: See how this NYC factory traps CO2 in concrete blocks

Canary Media visits a Brooklyn warehouse and the basement of a Manhattan high-rise to learn how CO2 can be captured and turned into construction material.

By Maria Gallucci . 24 October 2023
Clean industry

6 innovative startups that are kicking CO2 out of cement and concrete

Cement-making is a 150-year-old process. These companies are using new additives, chemistries and methods that could curb the industry's oversize climate impact.

By Maria Gallucci, Jeff St. John . 24 October 2023
Clean industry

Cleaning up steel, cement and chemicals is tough — and entirely doable

These top-emitting industries make the materials we depend on. In a special series, Canary Media explores the complex, tricky path to decarbonizing all three.

By Maria Gallucci . 23 October 2023
Clean industry

The huge climate problem of cement, steel and chemicals, visualized

These three materials are essential, carbon-intensive and produced in mind-bogglingly large quantities.

By Geoff McGhee, Maria Virginia Olano . 23 October 2023
Clean energy manufacturing

Can the US lead on clean aluminum? Ford, GM and others hope so

A group of 14 major aluminum buyers wants the U.S. to invest in low-carbon production of the metal, which is vital for EVs, solar panels and many other products.

By Alison F. Takemura . 5 October 2023
Nuclear

Nucor bets on silver bullet for ‘green’ steel: Nuclear fusion

The steelmaking giant said Helion Energy would build a fusion reactor by 2030 at one of Nucor’s steel plants. But fusion is still more dream than reality.

By Eric Wesoff . 3 October 2023
Clean industry

Startup hits milestone in its bid to cut concrete’s dirtiest ingredient

Demand for clean concrete is rising. CarbonBuilt says it has a potential solution: concrete made without using any Portland cement.

By Maria Gallucci . 21 September 2023
Clean industry

Major steel users band together to place first big ‘green steel’ order

Microsoft, Trammell Crow, Nextracker and other companies will request 2 million tons of “near-zero-emissions” steel in push to help U.S. steelmakers decarbonize.

By Maria Gallucci . 20 September 2023
Clean industry

Terra CO2 says its Texas factory will cut carbon and cost from cement

The startup is building its first large-scale plant to turn common rocks into cement additives that can reduce cement's hefty carbon footprint without raising costs.

By Jeff St. John . 12 September 2023