DFG funds new research group on circular steel at RWTH

The German Research Foundation has approved funding for the Research Training Group “Circular Steel – Pioneering Climate-Neutral Steel for a Circular Economy.“

Sustainability is at the heart of the Research Training Group “Circular Steel – Pioneering Climate-Neutral Steel for a Circular Economy,” led by RWTH Professor and spokesperson Ulrich Krupp. The program is dedicated to training the next generation of researchers who will understand and help shape the steel industry’s complex transformation towards a climate-neutral circular economy.
This transformation is essential for limiting global warming, as steel production currently accounts for more than 20 percent of industrial CO₂ emissions. A sustainable solution – one that relies on hydrogen and recycling – requires not only new technologies and smart materials development but also social responsibility.
The Circular Steel Research Training Group is committed to preparing experts capable of addressing complex global challenges. Twelve interconnected and ambitious research topics spanning the entire steel process chain will be tackled by internationally networked, interdisciplinary teams. For the first time, these teams will coordinate, substantiate, and independently develop the scientific foundations of a circular economy in steel production – working independently of commercial enterprises.
The research focuses on four closely linked areas: low-carbon steel production; the design and processing of new steel products; the long-term, resource-efficient use of steel products; and comprehensive sustainability assessments.
The goal is to design the entire steel value chain to operate as emission-free and circular as possible – without compromising quality during recycling.
Source: RWTH Aachen University