DUISBURG (dpa-AFX) - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier sees Germany in a pioneering role on the road to climate-neutral steel production. "In Germany we want to, perhaps we have to, prove that climate-friendly, climate-compatible steel production is possible in this world and that steel produced in this way can also be sold on the market," the head of state said Tuesday after a tour of the thyssenkrupp steel mill in Duisburg.

Steinmeier had previously learned about thyssenkrupp's plans to build a new plant costing over two billion euros to produce more climate-friendly steel. The so-called direct reduction plant will later run on hydrogen produced in a climate-neutral way, making "green" steel possible.

Many are looking with skepticism and concern at the future of a changed steel production technology, said the German president. However, Germany could not exempt itself from the attempt to save CO2 in steel production in the fight against climate change. This is a huge task, and he has great respect for those who dedicate themselves to this task and who also accept risks, Steinmeier said: "Germany has good reasons to remember that steel is important for the entire value chain of the German economy."

In the plant, climate-neutral hydrogen can replace the coal and coke used in classic blast furnaces to extract oxygen from the iron ore. Steinmeier had also been shown a classic blast furnace and a rolling mill in Duisburg./tob/DP/tih