Stockholm – September 19, 2026 -- Google has signed an agreement with Swedish producer Stegra to purchase environmental attribute certificates (EACs) tied to up to 91,000 tonnes of near-zero emission steel output in the first year, with plans to scale volumes over the life of the deal.
Google secures EACs to offset steel emissions from datacenter construction
The certificates allow Google to address steel-related emissions across its operations, including datacenter construction, without requiring direct physical delivery of the steel itself. The deal uses a "book and claim" model, decoupling environmental attributes from the physical product so that certificates can be sold separately from the steel, which is produced at Stegra's Boden, Sweden facility using green hydrogen and renewable electricity.
Stegra gains early-stage cash flow to support production ramp-up
The agreement generates additional cash flow for Stegra during its initial years of operation, helping finance the ramp-up of its green steel production. Henrik Henriksson, CEO of Stegra, said Google's decision to support the company's early operations through this mechanism came alongside a broader push to increase supply of sustainably produced steel.
Google extends its EAC strategy from clean electricity to industrial materials
Adam Elman, Director of Sustainability for Google in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the company is applying a model already proven with clean electricity and sustainable aviation fuel to industrial steel emissions. Google views EACs as a lever to scale clean technologies where physical procurement is limited by geography or value-chain separation.
Non-prime output from new steel mills forms the basis of certificate supply
Stegra applies the book-and-claim mechanism specifically to the non-prime steel it produces, a share that is typically larger during the startup phase of a new mill. Buyers of the physical steel under this arrangement are required to commit to not making separate green claims, preventing double counting of emission reductions.