Energy Intensity Development of the German Iron and Steel Industry between 1991 and 2007

Marlene Arens (), Ernst Worrell and Joachim Schleich
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Marlene Arens: Fraunhofer ISI - Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research - Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft - Fraunhofer
Ernst Worrell: Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development [Utrecht] - Universiteit Utrecht / Utrecht University [Utrecht]

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Abstract: The iron and steel sector is the largest industrial CO2 emitter and energy consumer in the world. Energy efficiency is key to reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions. To understand future developments of energy use in the steel sector, it is worthwhile to analyze energy efficiency developments over the past two decades. This paper analyses the development of the specific energy consumption (SEC) (measured as primary energy use per unit of product) in the German steel sector between 1991 and 2007. We found that the total SEC declined by 0.4%/year. Of this 75%, or 0.3%/year, is due to a structural change towards more electric arc furnaces (EAF). Energy efficiency improvement accounts for about 25% of the observed change in SEC, or 0.1%/year. Energy efficiency improvements are found, especially in rolling (1.4%/year). The net SEC of blast furnaces decreased due to increased top gas recovery by 0.2%/year per tonne iron. Improvements in other processes were very limited or non-existent. In basic oxygen furnaces (BOF) net SEC increased due to a 60% decrease in BOF gas recovery between 1993 and 2007. In EAF and sinter plants the SEC remained constant or, respectively, even increased by 9% between 1991 and 2007 per tonne sinter.

Keywords: Energy efficiency; Energy intensity; Steel industry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eff and nep-ene
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-00805730v1
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (26)

Published in Energy, 2012, 786-797 (1), pp.786-797

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Journal Article: Energy intensity development of the German iron and steel industry between 1991 and 2007 (2012)
Working Paper: Energy Intensity Development of the German Iron and Steel Industry between 1991 and 2007 (2012)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:gemptp:hal-00805730

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