# Tackling 8% of Global Emissions: Making Iron Sustainable One Atom at a Time with Sandeep Nijhawan

- Show: [Hardware to Save a Planet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet)
- Published: 2025-07-17
- Length: 50m
- Episode: 83
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-07-17-tackling-8-of-global-emissions-making-iron-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-with-s
- Listen: https://podcasts.fame.so/e/1n2rzq6n-making-steel-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-sandeep-nijhawan

## Summary

Sandeep Nijhawan, CEO and Co-founder of Electra, explains how his company is reinventing steel production using a low-temperature electrowinning process that converts iron ore into pure metallic iron at 60 degrees Celsius, allowing it to be powered by intermittent renewable electricity. He details the technical challenges of dissolving iron ore and stabilizing its charge states, the economic advantages of using underutilized low-grade ores, and the company's journey from a garage startup to operating pilot plants in Colorado with an $186 million Series B. Nijhawan discusses the strategic need for a demonstration plant to qualify products for steelmakers like Newcor and the long-term vision of regional hubs to decarbonize the $600 billion iron market.

## Chapters

- [0:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-07-17-tackling-8-of-global-emissions-making-iron-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-with-s#t=53) Introduction: Sandeep Nijhawan and Electra's Mission
- [2:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-07-17-tackling-8-of-global-emissions-making-iron-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-with-s#t=165) Nijhawan's Career Pivot to Climate Tech
- [8:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-07-17-tackling-8-of-global-emissions-making-iron-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-with-s#t=522) The Genesis of Electra and the Garage Phase
- [12:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-07-17-tackling-8-of-global-emissions-making-iron-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-with-s#t=728) The Electrowinning Process: Dissolving Ore and Electrolysis
- [25:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-07-17-tackling-8-of-global-emissions-making-iron-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-with-s#t=1556) Technical Challenges: Iron Chemistry and Automation
- [30:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-07-17-tackling-8-of-global-emissions-making-iron-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-with-s#t=1843) Economics: Cost Parity and Product Premiums
- [35:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-07-17-tackling-8-of-global-emissions-making-iron-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-with-s#t=2134) Scaling Strategy: Pilots, Demonstration Plant, and Series B
- [40:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-07-17-tackling-8-of-global-emissions-making-iron-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-with-s#t=2424) Future Vision: Regional Hubs and Energy Storage
- [44:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-07-17-tackling-8-of-global-emissions-making-iron-sustainable-one-atom-at-a-time-with-s#t=2654) Closing Thoughts: Optimism, Urgency, and Advice

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Electra (company)
- Newcor (company)
- Aqua Hydrex (company)
- True North Ventures (company)
- Fort Energy (company)
- ESS (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Pathways to decarbonizing steel](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-08-02-pathways-to-decarbonizing-steel) (Catalyst)
- [Fixing cement’s carbon problem](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-11-17-fixing-cements-carbon-problem) (Catalyst)
- [Keeping copper from limiting the energy transition](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-06-01-keeping-copper-from-limiting-the-energy-transition) (Catalyst)
- [Solving the conundrum of industrial heat](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-12-08-solving-the-conundrum-of-industrial-heat) (Catalyst)
- [Advancing Battery Innovation for a Power Grid Under Pressure w/ Arwed Niestroj](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-05-19-advancing-battery-innovation-for-a-power-grid-under-pressure-w-arwed-niestroj) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

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