The creation and refinement of steel for building materials produce hefty amounts of carbon emissions, with Amazon suggesting that around 70% of the world’s steel is made from iron ores via coal-burning furnaces.
To cut down its emissions as it scales up data centre construction, Amazon has teamed up with steel manufacturer SSAB and its subsidiary, Ruukki Construction to develop low-carbon materials for its ever-expanding data centre projects.
Subscribe today for free
Using a new technology called HYBRIT (Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology) that uses hydrogen instead of coal to make iron, Amazon hopes to slash emissions from the construction materials it procures for data centre construction.
The new AWS data centre in Västerås, Sweden uses steel made from the HYBRIT process, utilising one-tenth of the carbon emissions of conventional BF-BOF steelmaking. The steel is being used in panels to clad the façade of the site.
For another of its new sites, AWS procured steel produced from scrap melted in electric arc furnaces powered by 100% carbon-free electricity.
The steel will be used in the new data centre in Katrineholm, just over two hours drive from Stockholm.
AWS suggested the scrap-steel site will contribute 5900 fewer tonnes of carbon had it featured traditionally made steel.
“Reducing the embodied carbon associated with the construction of our data centres is a key priority for AWS as we work to achieve net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040,” said Kellen O’Connor, managing director for Europe North at AWS. “By partnering with innovative local companies like SSAB and Ruukki, we’re taking an important step to decarbonise the materials used in our data centres and set a new standard for sustainable infrastructure.”
Beyond construction materials, Amazon is also looking for carbon-free power to support its data centre expansion, including modular nuclear reactors to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
RELATED STORIES
Microsoft’s got wood: Hyperscaler constructs timber-based data centres
EU to raid data centre builders over anti-competitive practices
Amazon backs hyperscaler bet on nuclear reactors to fuel data centre growth
