AWS Partners with SSAB to Set New Sustainability Standards in Data Center Construction

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and SSAB have entered into a collaboration to deliver fossil-free steel for AWS’s three new data centers in Mälardalen, Sweden. This initiative, which utilizes SSAB’s HYBRIT® technology, represents a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions in data center construction and sets a new benchmark for sustainable infrastructure in the tech industry.

Under the agreement, SSAB will supply AWS with fossil-free steel, produced using HYBRIT® technology—an innovative approach that replaces traditional coking coal with hydrogen generated from fossil-free electricity. The steel will be used by Ruukki, SSAB’s subsidiary, to create roof and wall structures for the new data centers, thereby lowering the embodied carbon in these constructions.

AWS has emphasized its commitment to minimizing emissions throughout its construction projects, primarily using steel made from recycled scrap. However, recognizing the limitations of scrap availability, AWS’s collaboration with SSAB ensures access to virgin steel produced with HYBRIT technology, thereby extending their sustainability efforts even when recycled materials fall short.

Thomas Hörnfeldt, Vice President of Sustainable Business at SSAB, welcomed AWS as a partner, stating, “By choosing steel made with HYBRIT technology, AWS shows it’s possible to reduce the carbon footprint of data center construction regardless of whether the steel is made from scrap or virgin iron ore.”

Kellen O’Connor, Managing Director Europe North at AWS, added, “Reducing the embodied carbon associated with the construction of our data centers is a key priority for AWS as we work to achieve net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040. By partnering with innovative local companies like SSAB and Ruukki, we’re taking an important step to decarbonize the materials used in our data centers and set a new standard for sustainable infrastructure.”

This partnership is particularly significant given that traditional steelmaking is responsible for approximately 7% of global CO₂ emissions. By incorporating fossil-free steel into its data centers, AWS not only progresses towards its net-zero goals but also demonstrates the viability of large-scale, low-carbon construction projects, potentially setting a precedent for future infrastructure development worldwide.