Gates-Backed Startup Pilots Green Steel Process, Plans Factory

Bill Gates-backed startup Electra says it can now make emissions-free iron without melting ore on commercial-sized prototypes. That’s a major milestone for a technology that’s only a few years old and promised a step-change in the race to produce steel without a massive carbon footprint.

Steel is a crucial building material and accounts for 7% of global carbon-dioxide emissions each year—more than the impact of shipping and aviation combined. When Electra came out of stealth mode in 2022, the Colorado-based startup showcased a technology that pushed the boundaries of known electrochemistry. It soon found itself in a race to ...