In 2023, the emission of carbon dioxide from facilities participating in the EU’s emissions trading system decreased by 19.2 percent from 2022, according to the Energy Agency. SSAB’s Raahen steel plant was once again the largest producer of emissions among Finnish plants in the system. The plant generated 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide last year, up slightly from 3.6 million tons in the previous year.
Neste’s Porvoon oil refinery and Helen’s Salmisaaren coal-fired power plant were also significant contributors to emissions, with 2.5 million tons and approximately 0.7 million tons respectively. However, these numbers are down from the previous year due to efforts to reduce emissions across all participating facilities.
SSAB has announced plans to renew its steel production process in both Raahen and Lulea in Sweden to be largely fossil-free by around 2040. The company launched a low-carbon steel pilot plant in Lulea called Hybridit in collaboration with mining company LKAB and energy company Vattenfall in 2016. According to SSAB’s estimate, the investment required for this project is around EUR 4.5 million and will significantly reduce emissions produced by Hybridit over time.
Neste has also made plans to end oil refining at its Porvoon facility by mid-2030s, instead focusing on producing low-carbon fuels and circular economy products at the facility exclusively starting then onwards. Neste estimated that this investment would cost around EUR 2.5 million, while Helen has not yet announced a specific timeline for ending coal use at its Salmisaaran plant but has extended operation until April 2025 due to security concerns caused by an energy crisis earlier this year
