The EUROFER Conference “Advancing Europe’s Net-Zero Industry: How the race for fossil-free competitive energy will reshape manufacturing value-chains” focused on energy and industrial policy strategy as the drivers of the green transition in the European Union. The event, which took place in Brussels on 31 May 2023, brought together CEOs and representatives from the steel industry, low carbon energy providers, and high-ranking EU and national officials in charge of energy, climate change and industrial policies for an exchange on key trends and policy developments at EU and international level in the race for Clean Tech value chains.

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Wind, solar, hydrogen, electric vehicles, next-generation constructions – these are the technologies that will drive the EU towards net zero and they are all built on steel.

Steel is quite simply a critical input for clean tech infrastructure, which makes the EU steel sector essential to the decarbonisation of the European economy. The industry is also delivering on decarbonisation across its manufacturing base – with over 60 green steel projects underway designed to slash emissions.

All of these efforts require joined-up thinking and, most of all, access to fossil-free energy for industry. With the US Inflation Reduction Act as one potential model, Europe must urgently develop a balanced industrial policy that secures long-term access to sustainable, reliable, low-carbon energy to industrial users such as steel that play a driving role to reach net zero.

First announced by Commission President von der Leyen as a part of the Green Deal Industrial Plan, the Net Zero Industry Act embodies the EU’s attempt to scale up manufacturing of clean technologies in the EU while ensuring its strategic autonomy. However, in the current global race for fossil-free energy, Europe has rather overlooked a value chain approach as a key enabler for achieving climate neutrality. Legislative files such as the Gas & Hydrogen Package or the Electricity Market Design directive are cornerstone pieces that could significantly advance the EU’s green transition. 

At this event, EUROFER hosted a debate on these pressing issues with CEOs and business leaders from across the renewable energy value chain, including steel, wind and electrolysers, as well as senior EU and national officials charged with accelerating Europe’s green transition. 

Panellists exchanged views on:

• Policies to incentivise sustained investment in European clean tech value chains
• How to support decarbonisation of manufacturing while avoiding carbon leakage as well as green investment leakage
• Boosting hydrogen capacity and building a crisis-proof electricity market design for industry

Speakers:

• Welcome & opening remarks: Francesc Rubiralta Rubio, EUROFER President and Chairman and CEO of Celsa Group
• Panel discussion:
  
  • Kerstin Jorna, Director General, DG GROW, European Commission
  • Ruud Kempener, Member of Cabinet of Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy
  • Geert Van Poelvoorde, EUROFER Vice-President and Executive Vice President - CEO ArcelorMittal Europe
    
  • Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO Hydrogen Europe
  • Giles Dickson, CEO WindEurope
  • Q&A discussion
• Conclusions: Axel Eggert, EUROFER Director General
  
• Moderator: Dave Keating, EURACTIV

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