Salzgitter AG produces Mannesmann specialty pipes both for the German hydrogen backbone network and for its own transition to low-carbon steel production. The company thus addresses two central decarbonization levers: transport of green hydrogen and its use in direct reduction of iron ore. The dual strategy demonstrates how established steel manufacturers are transforming from pure emitters to enablers of the energy transition – however, the economic viability of green steel remains questionable without permanent subsidization and stable H₂ prices. What will be decisive is whether the announced backbone network actually reaches the planned 9,700 kilometers by 2032.
This article was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed.
