EMSTEEL Group announced new steps with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) to decarbonize steel production by sourcing nuclear-generated electricity certified under Abu Dhabi’s Clean Energy Certificates Program (I-REC Standard), managed by Emirates Water & Electricity Company (EWEC).
The use of nuclear Clean Energy Certificates allows EMSTEEL to access low-carbon electricity, directly reducing Scope 2 emissions and lowering the overall carbon footprint of steel produced in the UAE. EMSTEEL said the move positions it as the first regional steelmaker to utilize nuclear-based clean energy certificates, supporting its long-term decarbonization strategy under the TrueGreen sustainability framework.
The development builds on a long-standing partnership between EMSTEEL and ENEC. During construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, EMSTEEL supplied around 160,000 tons of nuclear-grade rebar, accounting for about 60pct of the project’s total rebar requirements.
EMSTEEL has now integrated 86pct clean electricity across its steel operations and 14pct across cement production, including electricity sourced from nuclear and solar certificates. The company aims to reach 100pct clean electricity by 2030. Barakah produces about 40 TWh of electricity annually, meeting up to 25pct of the UAE’s power demand and avoiding roughly 22.4 mln tons of carbon emissions per year.
Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, EMSTEEL has a production capacity of 3.5 mln tons of steel and 4.6 mln tons of cement annually. The group exports to over 70 markets, accounting for 30pct of its sales. The company offers a diverse range of steel products, including wire rod, rebar, heavy sections, and sheet piles.
