SDI first steelmaker with carbon targets certified by GSCC

SDI set a 2050 emissions intensity target of 0.12 metric tons (mt) of CO2 e (“carbon dioxide equivalent”) per mt of hot-rolled steel produced. This is in alignment with the 1.5-degree Celsius scenario in the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015.

Additionally, the company set an interim 2030 emissions intensity target of 0.80 mt of CO2 e per mt of HR steel. This is a 15% reduction from the 2022 base year.

“Steel Dynamics is already a leader in producing lower-carbon steel products,” Mark D. Millett, SDI chairman and CEO, said in a statement on Thursday.

“Even though our emissions are already among the lowest in the industry, we are committed to further reducing our carbon impact and have an actionable path forward,” he added.

The company touted its investment of over $260 million in a biocarbon production facility in Columbus, Miss. Construction began there in 2023. It expects this will further decrease its Scope 1 emissions by as much as 35%.

Adina Renee Adler, executive director of the GSCC, praised SDI’s actions toward reducing its carbon footprint.

“Our certification recognizes Steel Dynamics for its leadership on decarbonization and taking a forward-leaning approach to continue cutting emissions across the company,” Adler said in a separate statement.

GSCC is a non-profit that leads efforts to reduce steel carbon emissions. Its members have a presence in 80+ countries around the world.