New data reveals India’s green steel ambitions.
For the first time, a green steel project based in India is featured in the LeadIT Green Steel Tracker. This is a positive development, since the data also suggests that the pace of green steel announcements has continued to decline since peaking during the 2020–2021 period.
The 25-megawatt green hydrogen project is a cooperation between JSW Energy and LeadIT member JSW Steel. It is located at the steelworks in Vijayanagar, Karnataka, India. Construction is already underway, and this pilot-scale project is scheduled for commissioning before the end of 2025.
India is already the second-largest producer of steel globally, and when it comes to planned new steel plant construction, it has overtaken China based on future capacity. Recently published research by Global Energy Monitor highlights the importance of transitioning India’s steel sector toward green iron and steel to reduce emission intensity and contribute to global emission reductions.
Other key findings
- The latest tracker update also includes a new pilot project in Australia.
- The total number of active projects tracked now stands at
- 40 of the active projects will fully phase out blast furnaces – 12 are already operational, 23 are planned for commissioning before 2030 and the remainder are expected to be operational after 2030.
- 26 announced projects will complement traditional steel
- One full scale hydrogen-based direct reduction plant project from ArcelorMittal in Gijón, Spain has been reclassified from active to prospective, as the company has postponed its investment.
With just two new projects, the data also suggests that the pace of green steel announcements has continued to decline since the 2020–2021 peak. The previous update at the end of 2024 included four new projects – one full-scale, one demonstration and two pilot projects. Green hydrogen-based direct iron ore reduction with electric arc furnace (H-DRI + EAF) remains the most favoured technology globally.
About the Green Steel Tracker
The Green Steel Tracker supports decision-makers in policy, industry, academia and civil society by tracking public announcements of low-carbon investments in the steel industry and presenting them transparently in one place. The tracker includes both active and prospective projects.
- Download the full dataset
- Find out about the methodology
The inclusion of India’s first green steel project in the LeadIT Green Steel Tracker is significant because India's actions have global importance, and this is one strong signal of momentum towards decarbonizing steelmaking in a critical region for climate action. Monitoring such developments is essential to understand the pace and direction of change in global industry.
Eileen Torres Morales
Analyst and Transition Trackers Lead