Green Steel of WA has announced GHD as the Owner’s Engineer for Australia's first-ever green steel recycling mill and the state’s first ever circular steel economy.
Located in Collie, south-west WA at the Coolangatta Special Industrial Area, GHD will develop the specifications for the steel plant, support EPC engagement, develop concept design and manage the project approvals. Described as an electric arc furnace (EAF) steel mill, the entire precinct will be powered by renewables, producing 400,000 tonnes of long steel product per year for local and international consumption.
200 direct and 2,000 indirect jobs will boost the local economy and assist in supporting Collie’s transition towards a renewable future. According to Green Steel of WA Managing Director, Azlan Ho, the mill is regarded as the first of several future steel manufacturing plants that the company plants to develop in Western Australia.
“Our plan is for the Collie Steel Mill to be the start of a much larger green steel industry here in WA.
“With our abundant iron ore and renewable energy resources, we truly believe that Western Australia is the best place in the world to produce green steel. Yet, while western Australia produces 38 percent of the world’s iron ore exports as well as over 600,000 tonnes of scrap steel, we produce no steel.
“Our research indicates that production of green steel in Western Australia could add as much as $400 billion to the economy each year or nearly three times what we sell in iron ore. As such, the production of green steel presents a once in a generation opportunity for our state but we need to act fast or risk being left behind.”
Appointed as Executive Leader – Energy & Resources to assist the company’s ability to enhance its green steel services, GHD’s Michael Nolan says he is delighted with the announcement of the company becoming Owner’s Engineer.
“I am really pleased that we have been appointed to assist Green Steel of WA to develop this project as it will create lasting community benefit both in terms of an immediate boost to the local Collie economy and long-term reduction in carbon emissions from the production of green steel,” he says.
“This project is an excellent example of how GHD works with its clients to lead the transition towards a future of affordable, reliable, secure and low-carbon energy as part of our Future Energy growth initiative.”
Steel making accounts for around 7-9 percent of carbon emissions globally, with green steel seen as a sustainable alternative to atypical steel production, which utilises coal-fired furnaces. It is anticipated the mill will be operational in 2026.
