The Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) states that the amount of green steel projects slowed to only 2 in 2025, captured in its Green Steel Tracker – but despite this, 2026 is set to be ‘a decisive year’ for delivery.
The group says that planned primary green steel production capacity for 2050 currently represents less than 2% of today’s total global steel production. The Green Steel Tracker has reportedly identified Stegra’s Boden project in Sweden as the most significant near-term milestone in 2026.
It is said to represent the ‘first’ potential full-scale commercial commissioning of green steel. Several pilot and demonstration projects are also scheduled to advance this year, in countries including in Germany and the United States.
However, Lead IT says the Green Steel Tracker shows that delays are common among projects with publicly reported commissioning dates, while limited transparency makes it difficult to assess timelines for many others. In 2025, several high-profile projects, particularly in Europe, were paused or cancelled.
The Group’s analysis of tracked projects indicates that planned primary green steel capacity by 2050 currently totals 28 million tonnes per year, alongside 18 million tonnes per year of green iron used as feedstock for steelmaking. These volumes represent ‘a small fraction’ of today’s 1,800 million tonnes per year of global steel production, including both primary and scrap-based output.
According to Lead IT, at present around 270,000 tonnes per year of green iron capacity and 60,000 tonnes per year of green steel capacity are operational, meaning only a small share of announced projects has reached production. Despite falling short of emissions reduction targets so far, global steelmakers continue to signal commitment to decarbonization, even as they face rising costs, weak demand and uncertain policy environments. The Group adds that future policy intervention may prove decisive in sustaining momentum until green steel becomes cost-competitive at scale.
Last year the European Commission adopted the 2025-2030 working plan for the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products and Energy Labelling Regulations, with steel and aluminium among the list of priority products to implement eco-design requirements and energy labelling within the next five years. The Commission says it will consider the requirements of SMEs, especially micro-enterprises and small mid-cap enterprises, when developing its eco-design requirements.
More recently, Tata Steel Nederland revealed it has commissioned a new production line for packaging steel, said to be ready for upcoming legislation and improve logistical efficiency. Tata Steel Netherland’s patented Trivalent Chromium Coating Technology (TCCT) is used to produce the packaging steel.
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