Tuesday, 3 February 2026

What does green steel really mean? Look north.In Luleå, Sweden, steel is being made without coal.Blast furnaces are being phased out, replaced by fossil-free electricity and recycled materials. The goal isn’t only lower emissions — it’s also keeping skills, jobs and industry in the region.With EU support, workers are retrained and long-term investments become possible.The message from industry is clear: the transition is happening — and clarity on climate rules matters.This is what the green transition looks like in real life.
What if cities heated homes using industrial waste heat?That’s already happening in Hamburg.In Hafencity, excess heat from a copper smelter is captured, stored and reused to heat thousands of homes — instead of being wasted. The result: lower emissions, more efficient energy use and a smarter urban heating system.Backed by EU funding, this project shows how cities can decarbonise everyday infrastructure by connecting industry and urban development.Sometimes, the cleanest energy is the one we already produce.#EnergyTransition #DistrictHeating #SustainableCities #EUFunds #ClimateAction #CohesionPolicy
No radiators. Winter temperatures. €200 a year for heating.Sounds impossible?It’s real — in Aachen, Germany.Passivhaus homes use insulation, smart ventilation and heat pumps to stay warm with minimal energy. Researchers are now testing how people actually interact with these systems, because behaviour matters as much as technology.This is what the energy transition looks like when it enters everyday life.