Outokumpu has decided to significantly increase its energy efficiency improvement target and prioritize related investments in 2023 and 2024.
So far, Outokumpu’s target has been to improve energy efficiency by 0.5% annually. Until the end of 2024, Outokumpu now aims to improve its energy efficiency by 8% across the group compared to the January–September 2022 level. These measures would correspond to energy saving of approximately 600,000 MWh which is equal to annual electricity usage of 15,000 households.*
“The European energy crisis has created a turbulent operating environment. To tackle the uncertainty, we have decided to take immediate action on our own energy efficiency. This means that we will prioritize investments to improve our energy efficiency and also increase related annual capital expenditure by EUR 20 million in 2023 and 2024”, says Outokumpu’s Chief Technology Officer Stefan Erdmann.
These additional investments do not impact Outokumpu’s capital expenditure frame of EUR 600 million for the second phase of the strategy by the end of 2025. For 2023 and 2024, the annual capital expenditure remains EUR 200 million.
Outokumpu’s target is to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 42% by 2030 compared to 2016 baseline. “The new efficiency measures will support Outokumpu to achieve our ambitious climate targets”, continues Erdmann.
*) MWh per ton of stainless steel. Energy savings calculated by average electricity use of 20,000 kilowatt hours by a family of four living in a detached, electrically heated house.
Outokumpu is the global leader in stainless steel. The foundation of our business is our ability to tailor stainless steel into any form and for almost any purpose. Stainless steel is sustainable, durable and designed to last forever. Our customers use it to create civilization’s basic structures and its most famous landmarks as well as products for households and various industries. Outokumpu employs some 9,000 professionals in more than 30 countries, with headquarters in Helsinki, Finland and shares listed in Nasdaq Helsinki. www.outokumpu.com