The steel industry in the European Union is facing fierce competition in the energy transition. If Romania wants to keep its steel producers competitive, it must implement support mechanisms similar to those in Germany, Denmark or France, said Matthew Vogel, Head of Energy Projects, Europe and US, Liberty Steel.

“Those steel producers that have competitive advantages: cheap energy sources, infrastructure and access to renewable energy will survive. The steel market has been very difficult in the last couple of years, but the Galati combine will survive this war because it has all these assets,” Vogel said at the Energy Strategy Summit 2024, organized by Energynomics.

In his view, the Romanian government has chosen to support the green transition in a very general, scattered and not necessarily transparent way. PNRR has not been a success and Romania should focus its funds and interest on large assets and large energy consumers, as Hungary does.

“In Galati we need 450 MW to produce green steel, but when we switch to hydrogen we will probably need more than 2 GW of electricity. By the end of the summer we will have our own 50 MW solar plant in Galati,” Vogel added.

Energy Strategy Summit 2024 was organized by Energynomics, with support from our partners: ABB, ADC, Alive Capital, BayWa r.e, BCR, Best Tools Company, CRC Energy, Distribuție Energie Electrica Romania, DRI, Eaton Electric, Electrica Furnizare, Elektra Renewable Support, EnergoBit, Energo Power, Enevo Group, Evryo, Exim Banca Românească, Hidroelectrica, Horvath, Huawei, Jinko Solar, Keno Energy, MET România Energy, Nofar Energy, Nuclearelectrica, OX2, Photomate, PNE, Polytrade, Renomia Gallagher, Romgaz, Schneider Electric, SolaX Power, TDP Partners, ThinkBlu Solution, Transelectrica, Vertis, WALDEVAR Energy. With the support of Alexandrion Group, Mobexpert.

Strategic partners: ACUE, AFEER, AIIR, AHK România, ARPEE, CNR-CME, CRE, EFdeN, EPG, HENRO, FPPG, PATRES, ROMATOM, RPIA, RWEA, SAMER.

Parteneri media: CISOLAR, The Voice of Renewables