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Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant

Steel Plant in Germany. Approximate location 52.15925, 10.40705.

Steel PlantGermanyCO₂ estimate (modelled)

Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant is a steel plant in Germany. Its listed capacity is 5,200,000 t of steel. Steel plants burn coal in blast furnaces or use electric arcs to melt scrap; in both cases the molten metal must be kept above 1,500°C and transferred through extensive hot piping and vessels. It is operated by Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH. By capacity it ranks #3 among 11 steel plants in Germany. It emits about 7,944,161 t CO₂e a year from Climate TRACE, roughly comparable to the annual emissions of 1.9 million passenger cars. Its CO₂ per unit of capacity is 65% above the national median for this sector.

5,200,000t of steel
7,944,161t CO₂e / yr (Climate TRACE)
#2CO₂ rank in Germany
1.53t CO₂ per capacity unit

Facility data: Climate TRACE v6 (asset-level capacity & CO₂e, CC BY 4.0), id ct-1566774.

Data status

Known source data

FacilitySalzgitter Flachstahl steel plant Climate TRACE
CountryGermany Climate TRACE
Coordinates52.15925, 10.40705 Climate TRACE
Sector / subsectoriron-and-steel Climate TRACE
Reported capacity5,200,000 t of steel Climate TRACE
Owner / operatorSalzgitter Flachstahl GmbH Climate TRACE
GEM steel parentSalzgitter AG [100.0%] Global Energy Monitor
Steel process routeintegrated BF Global Energy Monitor
Steel asset statusoperating Global Energy Monitor
Steel equipmentBF, BOF Global Energy Monitor
Modelled CO₂e7,944,161 t/yr Climate TRACE

Calculated from the dataset

Germany rank#2 of 118 · top 1.7% calculated
Global iron-and-steel rank#86 of 868 · top 9.9% calculated
Climate contextderived from coordinates calculated

Not available

Fuel typeNot available not in dataset
Thermal capacity (MW)Not available not in dataset

Source data, measured cross-checks and calculated values are kept separate. No confidence percentage is invented.

Similar facilities by modelled emissions

Same Climate TRACE subsector; closest non-placeholder modelled CO₂e values. Russia and Belarus excluded.

Operating power plants within 50 km

PowerAtlas operating assets, ordered by great-circle distance from published coordinates.

In context: how this facility compares

At 5,200,000 t of steel, Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant is well above the median steel plant in Germany (2,760,000 t of steel). Subsector: iron-and-steel. As steel plant, it requires high process heat (typically 800–1500°C) for its core industrial operations — heat that must be supplied by boilers, furnaces or direct combustion, and losses through uninsulated vessels and piping represent wasted fuel. Removable modular insulation can cut those losses by 80–96%, surface-cooling equipment to ≤45°C, with payback often under 2 years. Steel plants burn coal in blast furnaces or use electric arcs to melt scrap; in both cases the molten metal must be kept above 1,500°C and transferred through extensive hot piping and vessels.

Capacity & CO₂-intensity comparison computed from Climate TRACE industrial facilities data; sector role based on engineering reference.

What 7,944,161 t CO₂e a year looks like

This facility's estimated annual CO₂e (Climate TRACE, modelled) in everyday equivalents from the US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies calculator:

1.9 millioncars driven for a year
1.0 millionhomes' annual energy use
132 milliontree seedlings grown 10 years

Equivalencies: US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies. Emissions: Climate TRACE.

Carbon cost, Scope 1 & decarbonization potential

At its reported 7.9M t CO₂e/yr (Scope 1), Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant carries €631M/yr of carbon at the full EU ETS price (€79/t CO₂). Free allocation phases out to 2034 (Reg. (EU) 2023/956), so today's bill is lower and rising toward this full-price figure. The fastest decarbonization lever is energy efficiency: eliminating heat loss on hot equipment (removable insulation, steam & waste-heat recovery) typically cuts 2–5% of fuel-related CO₂ — here ≈159k t–397k t/yr, worth €12.6M€31.6M, with payback up to 2 years.

7.9M t CO₂e / yrScope 1 emissions
€631M/yrcarbon value · full EU ETS price
159k t–397k t/yr ≈ €12.6M€31.6MDecarbonization potential

Carbon price: EU ETS €79/t · EU ETS €79/t, July 2, 2026, refreshed live via Carbon Hub. CO₂: Climate TRACE. Efficiency range: US DOE / ASTM C680 (method). Indicative carbon value, not the cash bill — free allocation applies; not compliance advice. Estimate the saving for this site →

Capacity vs largest steel plants in Germany

ThyssenKrupp Steel Duisburg steel plant: 11,000,000 t of steel11.0MThyssenKru…Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM) steel plant: 6,300,000 t of steel6.3MHüttenwerk…Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant: 5,200,000 t of steel5.2MSalzgitter…ArcelorMittal Bremen steel plant: 3,800,000 t of steel3.8MArcelorMit…Saarstahl Völklingen Steelmaking Plant: 3,240,000 t of steel3.2MSaarstahl …AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke Dillingen steel plant: 2,760,000 t of steel2.8MAG der Dil…Kehler Baden Steel Works: 2,500,000 t of steel2.5MKehler Bad…ArcelorMittal Eisenhüttenstadt steel plant: 2,400,000 t of steel2.4MArcelorMit…

Listed capacity (t of steel), Climate TRACE v6 (asset-level capacity & CO₂e, CC BY 4.0).

Operator

Operated by Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH.

Local climate

Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant sits in a temperate oceanic climate zone (Köppen Cfb), at 52.2°N in the northern hemisphere.

~11°Ctypical annual mean
~18°Ctypical warm-season
Temperate oceanic: four distinct seasons — cold winters and warm summers

Köppen zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid).

Site climate & environmental severity

The local climate sets how fast unprotected steel, protective coatings and the insulation on hot process equipment degrade at this site. It sits in a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C2ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
24/100environmental-severity index
16.6°Cseasonal temperature swing
228 kmdistance to coast
LowCUI risk tier

In this site’s local climate, a bare 150 °C surface sheds about 1410 W/m² to ambient — roughly 1.08× the loss at a 20 °C reference; removable insulation recovers about 1340 W/m² of that. Reference-surface calculation at a 150 °C surface from WorldClim climate normals (ASTM C680 / ISO 12241) — an indicative per-climate comparison, not a measurement of this site’s specific equipment. Open method dataset: DOI 10.5281/zenodo.20787408 (CC BY 4.0).

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby sites

The #3 largest of 11 steel plants in Germany by listed capacity (Climate TRACE).

Nearby industrial sites

Location

Coordinates 52.15925, 10.40705. View on OpenStreetMap.

Heat loss & insulation profile

For a steel plant, the main modular-insulation targets are reheat & annealing furnaces, ladles, hot-blast stoves, steam & gas ducting. Typical hot-surface ranges used for screening: 200–1,200 °C.

Indicative recoverable energy

A first-pass insulation screen suggests about 8,800 MWh/year of recoverable heat-loss reduction and about 3,000 t CO₂e/year of avoided emissions. Screening estimate scaled from installed process-heat projects and surface-temperature reduction data.

See Inzonex Modular Insulation → Run the calculator →

Screening calculation from facility class, capacity and open emissions/energy context. Engineering survey required before procurement.

Safety & the no-regret first step

Start with a thermal survey of valves, flanges, doors and bends. Removable modular insulation keeps maintenance access open while lowering exposed-surface temperature and wasted heat.

Germany: funding & obligation

Funding. Grant 20-60% depending on module and company size; Modul 4 = energy/resource optimization of plants & processes (insulation fits). Foerderwettbewerb round budget ~EUR 60M. official source · verified 2026

Obligation. Mandatory energy audit if avg final energy 2.77-23.6 GWh/yr; certified EnMS/EMS if >23.6 GWh/yr; implementation plans for economically viable measures within 3 months of audit. (applies as a rule above the stated threshold — we do not hold this site's metered energy use). official source · verified 2026
Status: Thresholds are an April-2026 DRAFT amendment (previously 7.5 GWh EnMS) — confirm enacted before publishing.

Programme terms verified 2026-06-18; confirm the current open phase before applying. Eligibility depends on a site's energy use / headcount, which we do not hold — not a per-facility eligibility determination.

Frequently asked questions

What type of facility is Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant?

Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant is a steel plant in Germany. Steel plants burn coal in blast furnaces or use electric arcs to melt scrap; in both cases the molten metal must be kept above 1,500°C and transferred through extensive hot piping and vessels.

What capacity is listed for Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant?

The open dataset lists 5,200,000 t of steel of capacity for Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant.

How much CO₂ does Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant emit?

The page uses about 7,944,161 t CO₂e/year from the open dataset It ranks #2 among facilities in Germany by estimated CO₂.

Where is Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant located?

Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant is in Germany at approximately 52.15925, 10.40705.

Who operates Salzgitter Flachstahl steel plant?

The operator recorded in the open dataset is Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH.

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