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Nucor Launches Exclusive Offshore Wind Energy Plate

Written by David Schollaert

January 22, 2023

Nucor Corp. has introduced its new sustainable, heavy-gauge steel plate “Elcyon.” The product will be made exclusively for the US offshore wind energy sector, and will be manufactured at Nucor’s new $1.7-billion ultramodern plate mill in Brandenburg, Ky.

Nucor“By launching Elcyon at Brandenburg we have effectively created the first domestic supply chain of sustainable steel for our nation’s offshore wind energy industry,” Nucor chair, president, and CEO Leon Topalian said in a statement on Thursday, Jan. 19.

The Charlotte, N.C.-based steelmaker said the new mill will utilize Thermo-Mechanical Controlled Processing (TMCP) to produce one-of-a-kind steel made specifically to meet the rigorous quality standards of offshore wind energy designers, manufacturers, and fabricators.

In addition to meeting Euronorm specs, Elcyon has larger plate dimensions, improved weldability, and excellent fracture toughness vs. competing products, the steelmaker said. Nucor will offer Elcyon in a wide range of plate grades and sizes to meet their customers’ unique needs and specifications.

The company looks to capitalize on what it anticipates being roughly 7.5 million tons of new steel demand because of the $300 billion for clean energy development and climate programs included in the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act.

Elcyon will be an essential component of the supply chain to continue developing America’s offshore wind power infrastructure, Nucor said.

“As demand for alternative energy sources like offshore wind continues to grow and manufacturers push for larger turbines, Elcyon’s larger and thicker plate sizes will help the United States become a leader in offshore wind production,” said Topalian.

The ultramodern mill can produce 97% of plate products consumed domestically and is centrally located in the country’s largest steel plate-consuming region. Also of note is Nucor’s pursuit of LEED v4 for Building and Design certification for its new plate mill. This certification even more rigorous than previous LEED rating systems, within categories of sustainable performance, climate change, and third-party transparency and reporting requirements.

“We continue to invest and build the recycled steel facilities that will help make our clean energy future a reality,” said Johnny Jacobs, VP, and GM of Nucor Steel Brandenburg. “Our Elcyon steel plate is another example of Nucor’s commitment to sustainability and our focus on providing a differentiated value proposition by making products that no one else is making.”

By David Schollaert, David@SteelMarketUpdate.com

David Schollaert

David Schollaert is deputy editor-in-chief for Steel Market Update. David joined SMU after more than a decade in the metals and mining industry in a myriad of different roles. Much of his early experience and expertise were within the coverage and analysis of steel-making raw materials and served previously as senior editor of the CRU Prices Service. Most recently, however, before his return to market analysis, David held roles as a metals buyer and an operations manager for raw material suppliers. He can be contacted at david@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-720-1008.

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