Identification of barriers to decarbonise the German steel industry as a basis for a feasibility assessment

Decarbonising the German steel industry requires not only mature low-carbon technologies, but also framework conditions that make their deployment feasible in practice. This study identifies the most critical barriers using a mixed-methods approach: 1) a systematic review of 42 publications and 2) semi-structured interviews with experts from all German primary steel producers. The review results in a comprehensive inventory of barriers associated with feasibility dimensions, which serves as a structured basis for the interviews. Experts weighted each barrier and highlighted the most important obstacles. The resulting ranking by practitioners differs markedly from rankings inferred from literature, suggesting that frequency of mention may be a weak indicator of practical relevance. Barriers with high consensus and importance relate to energy costs and the long-term availability of low-carbon electricity and hydrogen, regulatory certainty (EU ETS, CBAM, support schemes), international competition with global overcapacities, and the creation of lead markets for green steel. Socio-cultural barriers appear comparatively minor in this sectoral context. Methodologically, the study demonstrates a structured diagnostic approach: capturing the barrier landscape via literature, refining and prioritising through expert input, and translating top barriers into actionable indicators. The results provide policymakers and energy systems modellers with an empirically grounded, prioritised set of barriers for designing more realistic and feasible decarbonisation pathways for the steel industry. • Identifies decarbonisation barriers in German steel industry via literature review. • Categorises barriers into feasibility dimensions and compiles a barrier inventory. • Prioritises barriers through expert ranking in semi-structured stakeholder interviews. • Visualises barriers in a four-quadrant model of importance and consensus. • Derives implications for stakeholders in energy systems modelling, policy and industry.